WEST VALLEY CITY — A resident who breeds rodents in his garage and backyard shed has lost his appeal before the West Valley City Council for a business license to sell the creatures legally.

Skye Rees breeds mice and rats for the feeding of reptiles, some of which he owns. Rees has traps set up to catch mice and rats that get out but said he rarely has to use the traps. He first approached the Planning Commission for a business license, but was denied. His appeal to the City Council was voted down Tuesday.

"This is a very professional setup," Rees said. "I don't see how this is so detrimental to the city and my neighborhood."

Rees has bred and sold rodents for a few years as a hobby. He said all of his neighbors know about the operation and are OK with it. In fact, many of them submitted signed affidavits to the city in support of his operation, Rees said.

Without the proper license, Rees will have to shut his business down, he said. The market for feeding reptiles isn't big enough to support a full-fledged commercial operation, and Rees can't afford to move to agriculturally zoned property, he added.

Rees has advertised his services by word-of-mouth and free online Web sites, he said.

City planner Jody Knapp introduced the issue to the City Council during a study session May 19. After explaining the Planning Commission's denial, Knapp raised the possibility of adding some kind of "rodent breeding" language to city code.

Elected officials were surprised the operation was going on.

E-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com