City issues cease and desist order, later issues home business permit for breeder of ball pythons and boa constrictors.
A Connecticut homeowner was granted a three-year permit to continue his snake breeding business after the Griswold Planning and Zoning Commission voted September 10 to make Randy LaPorte's business a legitimate one. According to the Norwich Bulletin, an anonymous complaint to the city about odor caused the city to issue a cease and desist order to LaPorte because he failed to obtain a permit to conduct business out of his house. This order prevented him from selling his ball pythons and boa constrictors. The saga continued for months and ended with the city issuing a permit to LaPorte to allow him to conduct business out of his house.
Members of the New England Herpetological Society as well as local commissioner Erik Kudlis took a tour of the home and were impressed not only by the lack of any foul odor, but with the cleanliness of the snake breeding facility and the rodent breeding facility as well. LaPorte told the Norwich Bulletin that it was members of the reptile community from all over New England who made the difference, offering their support in meetings and educating the town about the reptiles.
LaPorte started his breeding business after purchasing a single ball python for his son. He then became interested in breeding ball pythons with different colors and patterns, which quickly "morphed" into a business.
