Safety trainer sues over snake stipulations

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jacob Molieri, who runs SnakeOut Inc. in Northern California, teaches dogs to avoid rattlesnakes using live native snakes in training sessions but says his business is threatened by state regulations. In his complaint, he says that in addition to delaying his permit application, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told him he can only hold classes with native rattlesnakes if he offers them for free, which he says is financially impossible for a small business. Otherwise, he says, he must use non-native or albino snakes, which he calls impractical and potentially more dangerous. He says the rules violate his constitutional rights to due process, equal protection and free speech and asks the court to block the restrictions, require action on his permit and allow him to continue his training business.