Lions and tigers and bears? Not in Elgin

The first revision of the Elgin's animal control ordinance since 1986 is definitely comprehensive.

If approved, it will ban people from owning: lions, tigers, cougars, jaguars, panthers, bobcats, mountain lions, lynxes, leopards, wolves, coyotes, jackals, foxes, wild dogs, bears and bisons.

But what is also forbids is any snake, reptile or lizard "that is physically capable of injuring any person, regardless of age, by bite, poison, constriction or other means," according to a draft ordinance that will be considered next Wednesday.

Read strictly, the law could conceivably ban all scaly creatures from Elgin homes, but Councilman John Prigge said that's not the case.

"We're worried about things that are going to be an immense danger to humans," Prigge said. "Somebody with a 12-foot python is going to be banned. Somebody with a chameleon is not going to be a problem. We're not interested in ripping salamanders out of kids' terrariums."