NEWBURGH – The Newburgh city code says that the harboring of horses, mules, pigs, chickens and a host of other non-domesticated animals are not allowed within its borders and while it does not expressly mention snakes, Mayor Torrance Harvey says the man who had 157 poisonous species is in violation of the code.
The man, who lives on 82 Maple Street, should not have been keeping those vipers in a residential neighborhood, said the mayor.
“It’s not only a public nuisance, but it is also a public safety matter,” Harvey said. “It is definitely a public nuisance to know that someone is raising 150 snakes in their home, their private residence. It is a public safety issue for men, women and children, for everyone.”
The State Department of Environmental Conservation continues to investigation and has yet to release the man’s name or if he has been charged with any crime.
