...and if someone ever got hurt by an exotic animal, you'd be yelling about how the city should have had a policy against it. It seems like everyone is anti-government, except in hindsight.

Maybe the should be more concerned about the pit bulls and Rottweilers. How many of their owners don't have insurance?

Shame? Not. This is smart thinking on their parts. Look at the many instances in the past 5 years where someone kept a wild animal as a pet and it hurt or killed someone. The most grisly I remember in recent times was the woman who got her face ripped off by the chimpanzee her friend kept as a pet. She survived her face transplant but she'll never see again. She had to sue the ape's owner to get money to pay for her recovery. With this insurance requirement, at least the medical bills will be paid if someone's ape or cheetah goes nuts and hurts someone.

To that end, I wonder if those geniuses realize that Rottweilers are herd dogs, not guard dogs.

People are usually covered for their dogs and cats under the liability portion of their homeowners insurance. It is great that someone has stepped up to provide insurance to cover Irwin. Now hopefully the city council will do the right thing and allow Irwin to stay. I read an earlier article about this and it is amazing what Irwin does both for his owner and the old people she takes Irwin to visit. Irwin has managed to bring his owner out of deep depression and has greatly improved her quality of life. At the same time this woman is taking care of Irwin who likely would have died or been euthanized because of his injuries if this woman had not taken him in. Theirs is a truly symbiotic relationship. In addition, Irwin brightens the lives of the people in the retirement home when he goes to visit. There were pictures with the other article that showed the smiles Irwin brought to these peoples faces.

dude, the dogs are taught to be bad by owners. I own 2 pits and have 6 puppies, and owned a rott for 15yrs, they are loving and loyal and yes trusting dogs. cant u understand man trains them to be mean. dude get it right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before getting catty, you might want to find out what the policies are about pit bulls in Broken Arrow. The exotic animal ordinance (which was what affected this woman) prohibits exotic animals of various types within city limits. I will bet that your city also prohibits lions, tigers, and bears being owned by your next-door neighbor. I think that, perhaps, this is a good law?

I am not sure what the ordinance is about pit bulls. In one city in Oklahoma, owners of pit bulls are required to have a fence that extends three feet into the ground--any holes in the fence will result in the animal being impounded. This is the result of pit bulls having eaten the arm off a little boy who had reached through a hole in a stockade fence to pet them (since pit bulls are actually quite sweet in many cases). They interpreted this as an attack--and now the little boy has only one arm and the poor pit bulls were put down.

Many animals--like pit bulls and rotts--are bred for a purpose that makes them poor pets for people living close together in urban and suburban neighborhoods. The animals themselves are fine--it is the conditions that are wrong for the given animal. An insurance policy being required makes it clear that the owner understands the issues, can afford the extra care that the animal will need, and is responsible. It isn't a silly thing to require insurance to try and weed out bad owners.

But, let's not take an off-the-cuff remark by the official as being emblematic of this incident. This was an exotic animals ordinance--not a dangerous animals ordinance--and it is appropriate to have one for a suburban area.

Jeez, that little thing is cute. Makes me want one lol. She looks so happy with him, how could anyone want to take the kangaroo away from her?

I so agree!!!

It's not about wanting to take a "cute pet" away from a woman. It's about making sure that, if-and-when someone's "cute pet" aka wild animal goes nuts and tears someone's arms off that there will be money to pay for their being sewed back on. A kangaroo's a wild animal, no matter how cute it looks in a shirt. If it freaks out and scratches out some old woman's eyes, her grandchildren will want her hospital bills paid for.

I've been to Broken Arrow and I "totally" agree with Linda.

I live in Owasso and have always loved living here, until recently. The meth, child rapists, drive bys, and political issues are killing this ONCE beautiful safe area.

GO IRWIN!

The policy is for $50K--that doesn't mean it costs $50K. How much does the insurance for your house (which I imagine is over $50K in value) cost?

It is probably still more than this specific woman can afford--but it isn't a bad idea given that other people might try to own a cougar if the policy isn't strict enough.

Still, if you and others are fine with your unpleasant, bipolar, irresponsible neighbor owning a cougar that he likes to play with in the back yard--you are free to elect representatives in your own communities that will rescind all policies that make such a thing difficult.

Go out and vote--a government of the people, by the people, and for the people is only "of the people" who vote. Go vote.

Linda Lee -- you hit the nail head on. Some town (and big town) politicians only bully those they can such as this poor woman. When they face a serious crime or financial issue -- they normally turn their heads and go find another weak person to bully or a new tax such as a lemonade stand tax. They know they are incapable of dealing with real issues.

Just because a municipality makes a law requiring owners of wild animals to carry insurance doesn't mean they've stopped prosecuting or looking for meth dealers (or any other criminal). They *can* actually do both! I'd be willing to bet they're also still pulling over speeders and drunk drivers and issuing tickets for failing to stop at traffic lights too. Amazing how modern government can multitask.

As for the $50K insurance... That's how much the policy covers, not how much it costs. And you can be sure that it'd cost more than $50K to have a face transplant after a chimpanzee attack.

We still mouth this BS about being the freest people on earth. What BS we now live in a police state. You can't do anything without the governments permission and a fee.

It is really too bad the government didn't shut down last month, as people would have realized that we are better off without it. God knows how the country got started without a permit office at the intersection of every path and stream. God knows how the country got started without a government clerk telling people to fill out a form and pay a fee to do something on their own property. Not only can we not afford the level of government we have, most of us that are competent, do not want to have someone be our mommy forever

So you think the govn't should back off and allow the pedophile to publish and sell his "How to Molest" book? Freedom of press, freedom of speech, etc. Right?

Regulation for all or regulation for none.

Hi Ghost. 1 thing, Pit bulls, do in fact have a bad rap. Such a shame for such a loyal breed. The pit bull actually go the name, I as understand it, was not from being put in a pit with another dog to fight. They were actually named this because the would go into a bull's pit, grab the bull by the nose and wrestle it down. At that time, it was entertainment. Did you know that Helen Keller had one as a service dog? Presidents have had them in the Whote House at one time too. Never attacked a soul. Not only are man teaching these dogs to fight, but it is the breeding that is a big issue. Breeding too close within any blood line causes a lot of abnormalities in health and mental behavior.

You are so right when you say man is the problem here. Not the dogs!!

City ordinance says your neighbor can't run a gas-powered leaf blower next to your bedroom window at 1AM. Maybe your neighbor should "never mind what the city ordinance says" too.