The Warren County commissioners adopted a non-domestic animal order last week, meaning it will be unlawful to bring into, receive into, buy, sell, possess or keep an animal on the list. The commissioners approved the order, effective immediately, by a 3-0 vote on Thursday, Sept. 25. Anyone currently housing a non-domestic animal in Warren County will have 120 days - or until Jan. 23, 2009 - to get rid of it. According to the approved order, a non-domestic animal is defined as "all felines (other than the domestic house cat), nonhuman primates, bears, wolves, coyotes, foxes, venomous reptiles, and constrictor reptiles over ten (10) feet in length and any crossbreed of such animals which have similar characteristics of the animals herein." The commissioners also have the authority to add to the list, following a public hearing, any new species that "would create a reasonable likelihood of hazard to the public." "The time is right," Southern District Commissioner Randy Lewis said. The commissioners' move to enact the order comes nearly two months after a volunteer was mauled by an 800-pound tiger at the Wesa-A-Geh-Ya facility located outside of Warrenton. Jacob Barr was helping move a tiger from a pen when he was attacked on Aug. 3. He had his right leg surgically amputated following the incident. Nearly all of the animals housed at Wesa-A-Geh-Ya have since been relocated to other facilities, most of them out of state. "We feel this is better to do it now when there are no animals there," Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage said. "The animals won't be affected because they are already moved out." Warren County Sheriff Kevin Harrison said his department will investigate any reports of prohibited animals. "This was the best time ever in this county's history to enact this ordinance," he said. "To me, that is being reasonable to the citizens that have these animals to not have any adverse impact on them." A violation of the order will be considered a misdemeanor. Any person found guilty of violating the order could be fined as much as $1,000 or receive a sentence up to one year in jail or both, the order reads. Harrison noted that each day a non-domestic animal is housed following the 120-day grace period could constitute a separate offense. "Every day you possess a prohibited animal would be, could be, another count," he said. The non-domestic animal order does exclude uninterrupted transportation of such animals through Warren County, the keeping of such animals in zoos, bona fide education or medical institutions for the purpose of instruction or study, and the keeping of a circus, carnival or other exhibit or show. Should a traveling show such as a circus be performing in the county, it must provide a written notice of a planned arrival date with the sheriff's department within two business days prior to their appearance. In addition, any non-domestic animal cannot be housed in the county for more than 10 days following the planned arrival date. Sandra Smith, who owns Wesa-A-Geh-Ya with her husband Kenneth, have relocated nearly all of their animals. The Smiths, however, had planned on keeping a silver fox. With the order now in place, it must go. "She was my only piece of hope," Smith said breaking down in tears. "I don't know what Warren County wants from me. She was my last little thing I had."