Sedona council adopts ordinance regulating public displays of wild and exotic animals; small educators warn of unintended limits

The Sedona City Council approved an ordinance amending Sedona City Code Title 6 to adopt a new chapter on wild or exotic animal displays and performances, following extended public comment from volunteer educators and small-business operators and a split among council members over the measure.

The ordinance creates a broad prohibition on public displays of “wild or exotic” animals, with exceptions for shows on private property when the property owner consents and for displays by people who hold specified licenses; displays on public property must meet training, licensing and insurance requirements. Council members said the measure is aimed at protecting animal welfare and public safety; public speakers urged careful rewriting so small educators and individuals who occasionally show animals would not be blocked by the new rules.

Volunteer handlers and curators who present reptiles and other animals in Uptown Sedona told the council their work is educational and largely safe. “We teach people about nature. We teach them about wildlife,” said Seth Byerly, identifying himself as a curator of Animal Haven, which has run a reptile exhibit for more than two years. Derek Hill, a Sedona resident who volunteers at the Uptown exhibit, told the council the outreach has had strong positive effects on children and on volunteers: “It has changed my view… It helped me build a better life and world around me,” Hill said.

Other public commenters warned the ordinance’s…