Mark of the Beasts

Terry Wilkins spent three days in jail for refusing to tag family pets. Ohio law mandates that pet owners must place a transponder tag under the skin of native reptiles that are kept as pets. Wilkins, who owns a pet store, refused to tag his family's snakes and turtles, saying the tagging causes health problems, even death, in reptiles. A judge sentenced him to 90 days in jail, but suspended all but three. Wilkins sent his pets to a family friend in Florida rather than tag them.