London, Ont. council votes down Reptilia Zoo exemption request for exotic animals

London, Ont. council voted down a motion Tuesday that would have helped bring exotic animals to a Reptilia Zoo at its impending location in Westmount Mall.

The motion voted on was whether to have a public participation meeting for input to proposed bylaws that would have exempted Reptilia from certain sections of the animal control bylaw.

The bylaw exemptions would have allowed Reptilia to display Class 7 animals, which includes but is not limited to, crocodiles, alligators, venomous snakes and venomous lizards.

Councillors voted against the motion six to nine, with those opposing citing the risks of such animals in a mall, animal welfare and public pushback.

“My concerns still remain the same about animal welfare,” said Coun. Elizabeth Peloza, chair of the Community and Protective Services (CAPS) committee from where the motion came.

“Having received many emails from Londoners that they do not want council to go down this path, that this is not what they see a progressive city being, those concerns still remain for me.”

While the motion was voted down, the supporters on council argued strongly for the members to support the reptile zoo.

“We have a struggling mall and commercial tenants that want and need this new tenant,” said Coun. Susan Stevenson.

“We have teachers that want a new field trip to offer and children that could use the exciting adventure.”

In the end, concerns were too severe for most.

“I have been on council eight years and this is the fourth time (this amendment) has come to us,” said Coun. Anna Hopkins.

“Nothing has changed… Londoners do not want zoos in their city.”

Reptilia currently operates two locations, one out of Whitby and the other in Vaughan.

While not every Londoner has offered their opinion on the matter, those that have skew virtually in one direction.

Of the 38 letters councillors received between the most recent CAPS meeting and Tuesday’s council meeting, 37 opposed the exemption for Reptilia. The lone letter in support came from Reptilia’s lawyer.

Various members of the public voiced their concerns about the possibility of exotic animals being in a London mall and the animal welfare concerns that came with it.

Along with residents, council also received letters from World Animal Protection opposing the zoo and Tourism London, which stated, “as it is proposed to operate, Reptilia may not meet Tourism London’s mandated goals as per the industry standard definition of tourism and/or our governance.”

Despite losing the exemption appeal, Reptilia has plans to open in March at Westmount Mall. Multiple inquiries to Reptilia about business plans in London were not responded to by publishing time.

The opposition to the motion brings a temporary end to the long, ongoing saga of Reptilia wishing to have animals not native to Canada on display in the city. According to Peloza, because the motion was voted down, the matter of an exemption for Reptilia can not be brought forward for another year.

The subject of Reptilia has been ongoing since 2018, when council first nixed the idea of animals not native to Canada being housed in the mall.

Reptilia remained quiet in London until last year when it was approved for a building permit. The approval reinvigorated the growing debate after Reptilia sought an exemption to the city’s animal control bylaw last November.

Multiple requests for more informational and tentative committee approvals over the past few months brought the subject of Reptilia to its present situation Tuesday before regular council.

As part of the process, the CAPS committee approved two amendments to the proposed bylaw exemption that was shot down Tuesday. One of the amendments would have had multiple effects on the business licensing bylaw, including creating an “Exotic Animal Establishment” designation for applicable businesses.

The amendment would have also required any business with the “Exotic Animal Establishment” designation to be accredited with one of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquaria (CAZA), the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) or the Zoological Association of America (ZAA). Accreditation for ZAA was an add-on by Stevenson, as Reptilia already has accreditation with them.

Michael Lerner, a lawyer representing Reptilia, informed council in a letter on Feb. 7 that the zoo has filed an application with CAZA for accreditation.

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