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WEST VALLEY CITY -- A West Valley City resident wants permission to breed rats and mice at his home. The West Valley City Planning Commission has denied him a business license.
The Deseret News reports the man, Skye Rees, wants to breed the rodents to sell for snake food.
He says it's a very professional setup. He sets traps to capture any rodents that might escape, but he says that rarely happens.
Rees also says his neighbors know about the operation and are not concerned. In fact, he says some of them have signed affidavits to the city in support of his business.
But West Valley City denied him a business license. Without that license, Rees says he'll have to shut down his home business.
Commission members were surprised to learn about Rees's business. The Deseret News reports city planner Jody Knapp said, "This would impact the entire city. It would be involved in all residential zones, not just his house."
The commission has raised the possibility of adding some kind of "rodent breeding" language to city code.
Rees plans to appeal the decision during a public hearing next Tuesday.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
