Hi guys,

I'd like to bring your attention to two very important things that need immediate attention. If you own any exotic animal, or anything other than a cat or dog, this will affect you (some sooner than others). Right now the herp world and the amphibian world are under siege. The FWS, backed by anti-pet groups (PETA & HSUS, etc) are attempting to push through a law that would allow them to arbitrarily add species to the Lacey Act as injurious and ban them, without due process of law, scientific research, or anything of that nature. Literally, they would be able to put whatever they want down, ban it, and it would be law. To put this in perspective - violating the Lacey Act is a felony. Fines, jail time, and your animals destroyed.

A little history on the fight. Below is what's happening now, and what you need to be aware of.

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USARK - United States Association of Reptile Keepers

ALERT: Right now, of utmost importance is for the herp community to use the two USARK Action Alerts below and share them. There are two issues demanding immediate action. The first alert addresses a USFWS proposal to list any species as injurious without full due process afforded under the law (i.e. no scientific support, no research, no economic impact study, etc.). This categorical exclusion affects a huge portion of the pet community (reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, small mammals, etc.). The second alert concerns a push by anti-pet groups to add 5 species of snakes (including all boa constrictors and reticulated pythons) as injurious, which would make interstate commerce, interstate transportation and importation all illegal. Anti-pet groups want no pets. Big snakes are just their first target. Support the entire herp community and stop them now! Share these alerts with all pet owners. All information can be found at the links below. The time to act is now, Reptile Nation!

Action Alert 1: http://usark.org/action-alert/usfws.....l-exclusion-2/
Action Alert 2: http://usark.org/press-releases/act.....-as-injurious/



CatX Update: FWS Amphibian Ban!

The US Herpetoculture Alliance has just been made aware of a NEW wrinkle in the whirlwind US Fish & Wildlife (FWS) Categorical Exclusion (CatX) power grab! Sources inside Capitol Hill have just informed us that the CatX is a precursor to the wholesale listing of ALL amphibians to the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacey Act. CatX, if enacted, would remove most of the due process afforded the rule making process under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). It would exclude FWS from doing due diligence in regards to scientific, economic and social impacts. In other words they could list ALL amphibians, in essence, just by declaring that they are injurious wildlife!

A petition to add ALL amphibians to the injurious list was fielded by FWS about two years ago. Subsequently, FWS published a Notice of Inquiry in the Federal Register signaling their intention to propose a rule. The US Herpetoculture Alliance predicted this scenario three weeks ago when we broke the news of FWS’s intention to secure CatX. It was our opinion that CatX was a precursor to an attempt to list all amphibians on the injurious list without giving due process to the thousands of species that could be affected. Further, the Herp Alliance believes that this would be only the beginning of additional large scale listings of hundreds of species.

Read more and learn how to help here.

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Thank you guys for your time, it's much appreciated. As the owner of more than a few snakes, I can't imagine having my bebs taken away from me and not being able to take them with me if I were to move. It would be devastating.
So I'm asking you guys to please help us fight this! If we lose and they succeed in this power grab, don't be surprised to see small mammals, birds, and even your every day domestic companions become their next targets.

Please feel free to copy and repost this. Spread the word.