The Knox County Commission voted down an ordinance Monday night that would have amended county code to allow wild or exotic animals in county parks.
The commission voted three for and eight against the ordinance that would have defined wild or exotic animals in county parks to only include all animals in class one under Tennessee code.
Animals in class one include cheetahs, elephants, jaguars, lions and tigers. That would have meant other animals in class two, three and four like bison, bobcats, camels and some species related to alligators and crocodiles would have been allowed in Knox County parks.
Victoria Klouda proposed the ordinance with her pet fox, Felix, in mind. Klouda currently takes him to city parks, and believes he shouldn't be excluded from the county.
"People really need to open their eyes and realize that these animals are just ... it's hamsters, it's hedgehogs, it's chinchillas. It's animals of that nature," Klouda said. "These are small animals that a lot of people own in Knox County."
Knox County Parks and Recreation said the biggest concern is public safety and rabies vaccinations for all animals.
"The rabies vaccination is basically designed for dogs, cats and ferrets, and that's how they're developed for kind of a mass species that people own," said Senior Director of Knox County Parks and Recreation Doug Bataille.
Felix has his rabies vaccination, but Bataille said the science isn't there to show if it's effective for animals beyond dogs, cats, and ferrets yet.
"As more folks have these, perhaps there will be a vaccine that will apply directly to them and certainly could be revisited," Bataille said.
But, unless that happens, Felix may spend a little less time adventuring, even though his owner said she won't give up.
"I'll still be pushing forward on this. I'm not going to let it go," said Klouda. "I'm not going to let Felix just not be allowed in parks just because he's a little bit different."