HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Reptile owners from across South Carolina pleaded with lawmakers on Wednesday to defang a bill that in its current form would make it impossible for future generations to own and store venomous snakes.
Born out of concerns raised last fall when Florence resident Jeffrey Leibowitz was bitten as he free handled an inland taipan, conservationists, wildlife experts and a national advocacy group all said House Bill 3937 goes too far in trying to make sure such a thing never happens again.
Ryan LaPierre, who owns Out of the Ark Educational Animal Shows in Longs:
“Banning venomous snake ownership because of one act is as extreme as banning all dog ownership after an attack. It is an overreaction that’s going to punish those who have dedicated their lives to safe animal care and education.” [There is no safe way to “care” for an inland taipan snake; details below. – Ed.]
Language in the bill sponsored by state Rep. William Hixon, R-North Augusta would among other things:
- Require anyone legally in possession of a venomous reptile to apply for a state Department of Natural Resources permit within 90 days of the law being signed
- Pay a $150 permit application fee
- Pay a $150 renewal fee after three years
- Notification to state officials of any temporary or permanent address change
- Ban on issuing new permits 90 days after the law is signed …
Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.
Inland taipan
The Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) is an extremely venomous snake endemic to semi-arid regions of central east Australia. Aboriginal Australians living in those regions named the snake dandarabilla.
It was first described by Frederick McCoy in 1879 and then by William John Macleay in 1882, but for the next 90 years it was a mystery to the scientific community; no further specimens were found, and virtually nothing was added to the knowledge of this species until its rediscovery in 1972.
Based on the median lethal dose value in mice, the venom of the inland taipan is by far the most toxic of any snake – much more so than even that of sea snakes – and it has the most toxic venom of any reptile when tested on human heart cell culture. The word “fierce” from its alternative name describes its venom, not its temperament.
