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State of the reptile nation- The Python Ban Passes
13 years ago
So Tinley NARBC Summit was this past weekend. Huge success for me and my pendants, Huge success for creating new organizations to handle the problems associated with this ban, Huge success for raising money for USARK and PIJAC.
Bad news folks, Burms, yellow anacondas, and both African pythons are now added to the Lacey Act. As of Friday the 23. These species cannot be moved out of state, they cannot be shipped out of state, But they can be shipped internationally if you live in a state with a designated port of entry and the snake leaves directly from the country not touching down anywhere else in the US.
How do I know this? I get involved. The media isn't covering this info, but reptile summits are. It is crucial information that I think is missing from the furry circuit.
We all left asking, now what do we do??? The answer is BE PATIENT and Sign Up For USARK e-mail updates from USARK.org. Like I mentioned earlier, new organizations were born over the weekend and in a couple weeks we will have more info. Likely a class action lawsuit will be filed against the USGS for publishing a bad research paper, using it to fuel a python ban, but denying us the ability to go after it with the quality of information act.
Why do Legislators hate snakes? Honestly, they don't know better. This paper comes out saying that pythons in Florida are breeding, raccoons and marsh rabbits are on the decline, any there are millions of snakes on the march up to the Ohio Valley because a python in Burma was found in the mountains where there was a cold temperature and there for anywhere with those temperatures are at risk of pythons becoming an invasive animal. What the paper doesn't account for is pythons are not the only species invading the everglades dangerous invasive animals such as cats, dogs, and humans are also playing a role in the everglades and it is just plain terrible science to cherry pick stats to drive legislation.
What am I going to do about it? I'm working on getting a panel at Anthrocon to give information critical to the Furry world. I know there are a number of folks out there with these banned reptiles, and heaven forbid any of those furs be in the military and are transferred to a base out of state. That pet python they have had for years can't go with them. There are a number of furries out there suckered in by the sad puppy commercials from the Humane Society... And they have given money to an organization where 90% of the money brought in pays for the salaries of the Executives, and only 1% reaches actual shelters caring for said sad puppies and kittens. USARK put only a quarter of the money raised to overhead. USARK was the most successful animal activist grassroots organization last year in terms of effecting legislation.
Bad news folks, Burms, yellow anacondas, and both African pythons are now added to the Lacey Act. As of Friday the 23. These species cannot be moved out of state, they cannot be shipped out of state, But they can be shipped internationally if you live in a state with a designated port of entry and the snake leaves directly from the country not touching down anywhere else in the US.
How do I know this? I get involved. The media isn't covering this info, but reptile summits are. It is crucial information that I think is missing from the furry circuit.
We all left asking, now what do we do??? The answer is BE PATIENT and Sign Up For USARK e-mail updates from USARK.org. Like I mentioned earlier, new organizations were born over the weekend and in a couple weeks we will have more info. Likely a class action lawsuit will be filed against the USGS for publishing a bad research paper, using it to fuel a python ban, but denying us the ability to go after it with the quality of information act.
Why do Legislators hate snakes? Honestly, they don't know better. This paper comes out saying that pythons in Florida are breeding, raccoons and marsh rabbits are on the decline, any there are millions of snakes on the march up to the Ohio Valley because a python in Burma was found in the mountains where there was a cold temperature and there for anywhere with those temperatures are at risk of pythons becoming an invasive animal. What the paper doesn't account for is pythons are not the only species invading the everglades dangerous invasive animals such as cats, dogs, and humans are also playing a role in the everglades and it is just plain terrible science to cherry pick stats to drive legislation.
What am I going to do about it? I'm working on getting a panel at Anthrocon to give information critical to the Furry world. I know there are a number of folks out there with these banned reptiles, and heaven forbid any of those furs be in the military and are transferred to a base out of state. That pet python they have had for years can't go with them. There are a number of furries out there suckered in by the sad puppy commercials from the Humane Society... And they have given money to an organization where 90% of the money brought in pays for the salaries of the Executives, and only 1% reaches actual shelters caring for said sad puppies and kittens. USARK put only a quarter of the money raised to overhead. USARK was the most successful animal activist grassroots organization last year in terms of effecting legislation.
Part of the issue, then, would be education. If USARK had a few more members, or associates that educated the public on the care and handling of reptiles, or maybe even a lobbyist in DC, I'm sure the law wouldn't have been passed with such restrictions. But now it's too late, and all we can do is ask that it be repealed with the promise that the information they learned under false pretense doesn't actually happen. So, besides supporting USARK, what else can be done? Send a letter to a Senator or Congressman?
What you can do is get involved. Most states have a herpetological society. Most states have reptile swaps and other similar summits. Get on the USARK list serve and get e-mails which can update you on who and how to contact. Get out there and VOTE! talk to your congressman/woman ask them where they stand on keeping exotics such as snakes. If they don't know where they stand, let them know that you as a voter would like to support a candidate that would be willing to get educated and perhaps speak with the local herp society to learn more about the issue.