My Vivariums » Ban

WAKE UP! Kill S373- DEADLINE 1/12/10

Saffleur — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:27:30 +0000

The DEADLINE for getting your letters opposing S373 to Tom Wolfe is fast approaching. Last day to overnight will be Monday the 11th so Tom Wolfe will have them for hand delivery to the Senate on Tuesday the 12th. This is extremely serious. If we do not succeed 1/3 of the Reptile Nation could be destroyed! Thousands will lose jobs. Many businesses will be bankrupted. Individuals could lose their homes. The time to ACT is NOW!!!!

We need an ALL OUT effort right now. It is very simple. Writing your letters like we did when we killed HR669 is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do right now. Follow the instructions below:

1. Letters to your Senators- Go to www.Kill-S373.com and follow the instructions. Use the ‘Sample Letter’. Watch the instructional video. There is no substitute for REAL letters. Do it NOW!!!

2. Email your Senators- This is NOT a substitute for REAL letters. Click here we have made it easy for you. http://www.rallycongress.com/united-states-association-of-reptile-keepers/2705/tell-us-senate-to-stop-python-ban/

3. Contact the Media- ‘Pythons, Politics & Death of the American Dream’ campaign. Click on the links below:
• MSNBC- http://www.rallycongress.com/united-states-association-of-reptile-keepers/2766/msnbc-pythons-politics-death-american-dream/
• CNN- http://www.rallycongress.com/united-states-association-of-reptile-keepers/2765/cnn-pythons-politics-death-american-dream/
• FOX News- http://www.rallycongress.com/united-states-association-of-reptile-keepers/2726/pythons-politics-death-american-dream/

The future of the Reptile Nation could be decided by what you as an individual are prepared to do over the next few days. Do not miss this opportunity to make a difference! Our community needs to pull together as never before. Do NOT let this be the final days of the Reptile Industry and Hobby!

Special Message to Industry Leaders: If you make your living in the reptile trade you need to do all of the things listed above that the rest of the Reptile Nation is doing... and more! It is your responsibility to get a meeting with your Senator and make your case. You represent the industry in your state. By making direct contact with your Senators you give them a reason to oppose S373. Jobs and the Economy are important. Make your case. The time is NOW!!!

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S373 Call In Tomorrow

Saffleur — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:45:05 +0000

S373 aka ‘The Python Ban’ will receive a Hearing before the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee Chaired by Barbara Boxer (D-CA) on December 3, 2009. The bill sponsor is Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL). If passed as written it would Ban all snakes in the family Pythonidae, placing them on the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act. That is ALL 40 species of pythons! This action would stop all import, export and interstate transport. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has taken steps to lobby Senator Nelson to add Boa Constrictor to the bill as well. HSUS has publicly called for an end of reptile ownership nationwide for years.

This will NOT be a full and fair hearing on this issue. As we understand it right now there will be eight bills heard by the committee with only one witness to testify on all eight. USARK does not anticipate that there will be additional witnesses called. This seems to be an effort to ram through as many bills as possible in as short a time as possible.

USARK is opposed to legislating any animals on to the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act. This should be a science and policy driven debate. As it stands now the science is being “cherry picked” to support political expediency. An independent group of scientists called the USGS study being used by HSUS and others to justify a ban, “unscientific”.

USARK is providing the best information available on this issue. We realize that these are scary times and we ask that everyone in the community come together to fight this battle. There is Strength in Numbers... Protect Your Rights. Join the Reptile Nation!

CALL IN DAY: 11/30, 12/1 & 12/2

Sample:
My name is _____. I oppose S373. Although I support and appreciate efforts to preserve the Everglades, This bill will hurt American families while doing little to benefit conservation. This bill would Ban the captive bred trade in 40 species of pythons. It would destroy thousands of jobs in our state and across the country. Scientists have questioned the USGS report being used to justify this extreme proposal. Science should trump political expediency. Please oppose S373.

Call List: (this is not a full list of the EPW just the key members likely to be at hearing)
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), (Sponsor S373)
Phone: 202-224-5274
Fax: 202-228-2183

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), (Chair EPW)
Phone: (202) 224-3553
Fax: (202) 224-0454

Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), (Ranking Member EPW)
Phone: (202) 224-4721
Fax: (202) 228-0380

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), (Chair Water & Wildlife)
Phone: 202-224-4524
Fax: 202-224-1651

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), (Ranking Member Water & Wildlife)
Phone: (202) 224-6142
Fax: (202) 228-1375

Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Phone: (202) 224-4944
Fax: (202) 228-3398

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S373 Python Ban Goes to Hearing

Saffleur — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:59:53 +0000

S373 aka ‘The Python Ban’ will receive a Hearing before the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Chaired by Barbara Boxer (D-CA) on December 3, 2009. The bill sponsor is Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL). If passed as written it would Ban all snakes in the family Pythonidae, placing them on the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act. That is ALL 40 species of pythons! This action would stop all import, export and interstate transport. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) took definitive steps yesterday toward lobbying Senator Nelson to add Boa Constrictor to the bill as well. HSUS has publicly called for an end of reptile ownership nationwide for years.

As we understand it right now there will be eight bills heard by the committee with only one witness to testify on all eight. USARK does not anticipate that there will be additional witnesses called. This seems to be an effort to move through as many bills as possible in as short a time as possible. We will know more soon.

USARK is opposed to legislating any animals on to the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act. This should be a science and policy driven debate. As it stands now the science is being “cherry picked” to support political expediency. Just yesterday an independent group of scientists called the USGS study being used by HSUS and others to justify a ban, “unscientific”.

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Python Ban Hearing for November 5th

Saffleur — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:22:06 +0000

H.R. 2811 aka ‘The Python Ban’ is a Bill sponsored into the US House of Representatives by Florida Congressman Kendrick Meek. As originally written it would have placed the entire genus python on the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacy Act. That would make the import, export and interstate transport of these animals a felony.

Fortunately USARK was able to convince Congressman Tom Rooney of Florida, who is championing this Bill in the House Judiciary Committee, to offer an amendment to H.R. 2811 limiting the scope of the Bill. H.R. 2811 was subsequently amended striking the genus python and inserting ONLY the Burmese Python and African Python. Committee staff also agreed in principle to further amend the Bill to allow for the captive bred trade and export of these animals to continue. USARK has provided language to Committee staff to further amend H.R. 2811 to reflect this agreement. As of today no additional amendments have been offered.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has just submitted a report to Congress regarding H.R. 2811. USARK was contacted to represent the industry, and some individuals were contacted as well. USARK was given only two business days to compile economic estimates. The CBO report was anecdotal and brief. The CBO concluded that H.R.2811, as written, would have no significant economic effect on the federal government. They also concluded that because the annual economic impact to the private sector fell below $139 million, that there was no significant impact to the economy. Apparently the Reptile Nation does not fall into the ‘Too Big to Fail' category. Click here to read the CBO Report on H.R.2811: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10654/hr2811.pdf

The political pressure that USARK and the Reptile Nation have been able to apply in regards to H.R.2811 has yielded tangible results. On November 5, 2009 there will be a Hearing on H.R.2811 in front of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism & Homeland Security. Committee staffers have approached USARK and indicated a willingness to reexamine proposals to further amend H.R.2811. In addition staffers have indicated that USARK will be invited to present testimony before the Committee as an expert witness.

Stay tuned… USARK will be spearheading a Call-In, Fax and Email Campaign on H.R.2811 for November 2, 3 & 4 leading up to the Subcommittee Hearing on the 5th. USARK is committed to protecting the rights of responsible Burm and Afrock owners.

****For up to the moment fast breaking updates follow USARK on Twitter. Follow us on MySpace & Facebook too. Invite your friends to follow as well. This is the best way to disseminate information as it happens.****

These campaigns to fight for the rights of the Reptile Nation are expensive. Please donate to or join USARK and help us pay the bills. We are working hard for you!

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Senate EPW Hearing- HR669/S373 Reptile Ban!

Saffleur — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:54:31 +0000

Just in from USARK...

WARNING: Senate EPW Hearing- HR669/S373 Reptile Ban!

The Senate Committee on the Environment & Public Works (EPW) is planning a hearing for the 8th of July following the holiday break. The Committee Chair is Senator Barbara Boxer (D) of California. It will actually be a joint hearing in front of two subcommittees; Senate Water & Wildlife and the EPW Oversight. The topic for discussion will be Threats to Native Wildlife Species. We believe this will be a precursor to the introduction of a new Senate version of HR669. S373 will also likely be discussed. Although we do not want to assume her position, Senator Boxer has strong historical ties to the Animal Rights and Environmental movements that are pushing for this hearing.

USARK will NOT request to be a witness at the hearing. This hearing is supposed to be about ALL invasive species and we do not want to let Senator Bill Nelson and the committees turn this into a circus with Pythons and the Reptile Industry at the center. There is much unwarranted sensationalism surrounding the Burmese Python and it would play well for our opponents to put us in the spotlight. Reptiles represent the smallest portion of invasive species in the US so we must keep them from focusing solely on us. We won't play into their hands on this point. We will not win this debate arguing about Burmese Pythons. It is about addressing ALL invasive species without putting our Industry and Hobby in jeopardy. This battle will NOT be won on the floor of the committee, but at the grass roots level and behind the scenes. That has been our strength. Discretion is the better part of valor.

HR669 - The Non Native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (or Senate companion Bill) could BAN the import, export, interstate transport, purchase, sale, trade and breeding of most non native animals... including reptiles & amphibians. It is a fee based approved ("white") list that functions on the premise of guilty until proven innocent. The burden is to prove each animal would never, under any circumstances, be a threat to the environment, agriculture or human and animal health... and you have to pay to have your animals considered for this "white" list. USARK OPPOSES HR669, "White Lists" or complicated regulatory schemes that would alienate any segment of the Reptile Industry and Hobby.

S373 would amend the Lacy Act by adding the genus Python to the Injurious Wildlife list. It is commonly known as the "Python Ban" and would end the import, export and trade in all the most popular Pythons in the reptile trade. USARK OPPOSES S373 or any legislative manipulations of the Lacy Act.

Both bills are disingenuous because they do not actually address the issue of invasive species which they claim to be so concerned about. Both of these bills would have far more impact on legitimate captive breeding operations already here in the US than addressing invasive species in the wild. Neither bill would have any demonstrable effect on established populations in the wild. Because of the size and ecological diversity of the United States we believe invasive species issues are best addressed as issues in individual states.

As we have done since our inception, USARK will fight tooth and nail for the Reptile Nation. But we need your help. These are dangerous and uncertain times for our Industry and Hobby. We have positioned ourselves well to fight these battles. We have the best lobbyists in Washington working to put us in a position to succeed, but without the financial support of the Reptile Nation this battle can't be won. MORE and BIGGER FIGHTS are coming. We know there are many out there who will fight with us. Please donate to the cause! Whatever you can afford... $10, $20, $100, $1000! It will ALL be matched by Zoo Med... dollar for dollar. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

Many have gotten comfortable with our success in the US House of Representatives. We derailed HR669 in the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife with 50,000 written letters. It was the biggest letter writing campaign in 30 years on Capitol Hill. It is time to wake back up! Now we are in the Senate. We may need an even bigger effort to stop Animal Rights Extremists in the Senate! BE READY!!! We will keep you posted as things develop. The Reptile Nation is even stronger and more organized now!!

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Florida Bans Commercial Harvest Of Fresh Water Turtles

Saffleur — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:20:56 +0000

Florida banned commercial harvests of freshwater turtles Wednesday, saying that foreign demand threatened to damage whole turtle populations.

The decision is one of the most ambitious in the country and was applauded by wildlife advocates who said it would become a national model.

A small number of fishermen are disgruntled over the fact that the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are making such sweeping changes.

“The rules are getting to a point where the man who’s trying to make a living at this can’t pay for no more,” said Douglas Traywick, 51, a lifelong fisherman from Orange County.

Given Floridas growth in population when a female turtle finally nests down she's lucky to. With surviving crossing roads, avoiding construction areas, escaping foxes, crows and other species, the turtle has more than earned her chance to nest. Turtles cannot survive the mass fishing that occurs with fish.

The commission set temporary limits on commercial harvests last year.

The changes finalized Wednesday allow a person to catch just one turtle daily and continue established rules that make some species off-limits entirely.

The new rules allow turtles to be farm-raised and sold. So what's the problem? You have to work a bit harder but you still can still raise them. sell them, eat them.

A move in the right direction, I applaud them for such actions. It was done with careful decision making not with carelessness and fear.

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HR669 Goes Down!

Saffleur — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:44:03 +0000

As per USARK...

VICTORY over HR669!!!

WE DID IT FOLKS!!!! Victory over HR669! You can thank yourselves and the Reptile Nation, for a hard fought Victory! Our nearly 50,000 grassroots letters and 1,000s of phone calls to the offices of the subcommittee members clearly prevailed at today's Insular Affairs Subcommittee hearing on HR 669. HR 669 in it's current form is finished. For anything to go forward it MUST be re-written from the ground up....and USARK will have a seat at the table along with other stake holders.

Delegate Faleomavega from Samoa said, "The letter and phone campaign hit the subcommittee like a BUZZ SAW". Harry Burroughs, of the subcommittee staff said, "I haven't seen a letter writing campaign like this in 30 years! You should be proud of yourselves." Take heart in the fact that the Reptile Nation stopped HR669 in it's tracks!!

We also need to thank Congressman Henry Brown, SC for helping us to focus our fight on the Subcommittee as opposed to the full House of Representatives. He is the one who instructed us to write real letters to be truly effective. He said emails are fine if that is all you can manage, but they can be filtered and deleted. There is no denying the weight of thousands of paper letters from American citizens. The Reptile Nation was responsible for 49,229 letters delivered to the Subcommittee in less than two weeks. Congressman Brown's staff made sure they all got in the door. 38,000 of those letters will be entered into the permanent record. Thank you my friends!

Credit should also be given to Bill Martin, a witness who testified at the hearing. He is the President of Blue Ridge Aquatics, a large multi-state Tilapia farming operation. They farm Tilapia as a food fish. He had some serious problems with the bill and the ear of much of the committee. His plain talk of how this bill would destroy hundreds of families hit home. What they do and the impact this bill would have on them parallels the plight of the Reptile Nation.

Senior Democrat staff from the House Committee on Natural Resources advised Subcommittee Chair Madeleine Bordallo that if she wants something to go forward she will have to go back to square one and draft a new bill. Then have another subcommittee hearing. When and if she does, USARK will be there to represent the interests of the Reptile Nation!! They probably will try, and that will be our challenge for another day. But Today VICTORY is SWEET!...... Celebrate today and rest, because tomorrow we must get ready to fight again.

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Petsmart Vocalizes Against HR 669

Saffleur — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:22:38 +0000

Four days before the in-house committee meets to discuss HR 669 the well known pet company Petsmart is vocalizing it's disagreement with HR669. This would affect them as badly as any other business that deals in non-native animals. Read more here.

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Proof That HR 669 Is A Threat

Saffleur — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:36:10 +0000

Yes, it is a real threat, so real that in Connecticut they have already changed their species ban laws. Below is the full bill as of October 1st this will be going into effect.

General Assembly File No. 516
January Session, 2009 Substitute House Bill No. 6552
House of Representatives, April 6, 2009

The Committee on Environment reported through REP. ROY, R. of the 119th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT BANNING THE POSSESSION OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ANIMALS AND THE IMPORTATION, POSSESSION AND LIBERATION OF WILD ANIMALS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2009) (a) No person shall operate, provide, sell, use or offer to operate, provide, sell or use any computer software or service in this state that allows a person, when not physically present, to remotely control a firearm or weapon to hunt a live animal or bird.

(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
Sec. 2. Section 26-40a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2009):

(a) No person shall possess a potentially dangerous animal. For the purposes of this section, the following wildlife, or any hybrid thereof, shall be considered [as] potentially dangerous animals:

(1) The felidae, including, but not limited to, the lion, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, ocelot, jaguarundi cat, puma, lynx, [and] bobcat, [the] tiger, serval, caracal, jungle cat and Savannah cat;

(2) The canidae, including, but not limited to, the wolf, [and] coyote and fox; [and the]

(3) The ursidae, including, but not limited to, the black bear, grizzly bear and brown bear;

(4) The hominidae, including, but not limited to, the gorilla, chimpanzee and orangutan;

(5) The hylobatidae, including, but not limited to, the gibbon or "lesser ape";

(6) The cercopithecidae, including, but not limited to, the baboon and macaque;

(7) The macropodidae, including, but not limited to, the kangaroo and wallaby;

(8) The mustelidae, including, but not limited to, the wolverine;

(9) The hyaenidae, including, but not limited to, the hyaena;

(10) The elephantidae, including, but not limited to, the hippopotamidae, including the hippopotamus;

(11) The rhinocerotidae, including, but not limited to, the rhinoceros;

(12) The suidae, including, but not limited to, the warthog;

(13) The alligatoridae, including, but not limited to, the alligator and caiman;

(14) The crocodylidae, including, but not limited to, the crocodile;

(15) The gavialidae, including, but not limited to, the gavial;

(16) The elapidae, including, but not limited to, cobras, coral snakes and mambas;

(17) The viperidae, including, but not limited to, copperheads, rattlesnakes, cottonmouths and all other adders and vipers;

(18) The rear-fanged members of the colubridae in the genera lothornis, boiga, thelotornis, thabdophis, enhydris, dispholidus, clelia, rhabdophis, hydrodynastes, philodryas and malpolon;

(19) The Burmese/Indian, African Rock, amethystine and reticulated of the pythonidae;

(20) The green, yellow and dark spotted anacondas of the boidae;

(21) The helodermatidae, including, but not limited to, Gila monsters and beaded lizards; and

(22) The Nile monitor, water monitor, black-throat monitor, white-throat monitor, crocodile monitor and komodo dragon of the varanidae.

[No person shall possess a potentially dangerous animal.]

(b) Any such animal illegally possessed may be ordered seized and may be relocated or disposed of as determined by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. The Department of Environmental Protection shall issue a bill to the owner or person in illegal possession of such potentially dangerous animal for all costs of seizure, care, maintenance, [and] relocation or disposal of such animal. Additionally, any person who violates any provision of this section shall be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed [one] two thousand dollars, to be fixed by the court, for each offense. Each violation shall be a separate and distinct offense and in the case of a continuing violation, each day's continuance thereof shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection may request the Attorney General to institute an action in Superior Court to recover such penalty and any amounts owed pursuant to a bill issued in accordance with this section and for an order providing such equitable and injunctive relief as the court deems appropriate.

(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to municipal parks, zoos [and] accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums or the Zoological Association of America, public nonprofit aquaria, nature centers, [or] museums [,] or laboratories and research facilities maintained by scientific or educational institutions [;] registered with the United States Department of Agriculture or to a person possessing a Bengal cat certified by an internationally recognized multiple-cat domestic feline breeding association as being without wild parentage for a minimum of four prior generations which cat was registered with the Commissioner of Agriculture on or before October 1, 1996, provided no such cat may be imported into this state after June 6, 1996. [; or to persons possessing animals legally on or before May 23, 1983.] In any action taken by any official of the state or any municipality to control rabies, a Bengal cat shall be considered not vaccinated for rabies in accordance with accepted veterinary practice.

(d) Any person who wilfully violates any provision of subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
Sec. 3. Section 26-55 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof

(Effective October 1, 2009):
[No] (a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, no person shall import or introduce into the state, or possess or liberate therein, any live fish, wild bird, wild mammal, reptile, amphibian or invertebrate unless such person has obtained a permit therefor from the commissioner. [, provided nothing in this section shall be construed to require such permit for any primate species that weighs not more than fifty pounds at maturity that was imported or possessed in the state prior to October 1, 2003.] Such permit may be issued at the discretion of the commissioner under such regulations as the commissioner may prescribe. The commissioner may by regulation prescribe the numbers of live fish, wild birds, wild mammals, reptiles, amphibians or invertebrates of certain species which may be imported, possessed, introduced into the state or liberated therein. The commissioner may by regulation exempt certain species or groups of live fish from the permit requirements. The commissioner may by regulation determine which species of wild birds, wild mammals, reptiles, amphibians or invertebrates must meet permit requirements. The commissioner may totally prohibit the importation, possession, introduction into the state or liberation therein of certain species which the commissioner has determined may be a potential threat to humans, agricultural crops or established species of plants, fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians or invertebrates. The commissioner may by regulation exempt from permit requirements organizations or institutions such as municipal parks, zoos, laboratories and research [laboratories, colleges or universities] facilities maintained by scientific or educational institutions, museums, public nonprofit aquaria or nature centers where live fish, wild birds, wild mammals, reptiles, amphibians or invertebrates are held in strict confinement.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the importation and possession of the following species is prohibited:
(1) Any primate in the families cheirogaleidae, lemuridae, lepilemuridae, indriidae, lorisidae, loris, daubentoniidae, galagidae, galago, tarsiidae, callitrichidae, cebidae, pitheciidae or atelidae;

(2) the sciuridae, including, but not limited to, the prairie dog;

(3) the viverridae, including, but not limited to, the civet and genet;

(4) any venomous species in the family arachnidea, including, but not limited to, the tarantula and scorpion; and

(5) any poisonous species in the family dendrobatidae, including, but not limited to, poison arrow frogs.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection may issue a permit for the possession of a service primate to a permanently disabled person with a severe mobility impairment, provided such disabled person submits written certification to said commissioner:

(1) From a licensed medical doctor attesting to such disabled person’s disability, mobility impairment and the need for a service primate to provide an essential function that cannot be performed by the disabled person;

(2) that such service primate was legally obtained, is from the genus Cebus and is trained by an accredited service primate training organization; and

(3) that the organization furnishing the service primate to the disabled person is a nonprofit organization and is in compliance with all applicable federal and state animal welfare laws.

(d) Any such fish, bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian or invertebrate illegally imported into the state or illegally possessed therein [shall] may be seized by any representative of the Department of Environmental Protection and [shall] may be relocated or disposed of as determined by the commissioner. [Any person, except as provided in section 26-55a, who violates any provision of this section or any regulation issued by the commissioner as provided in this section shall be guilty of an infraction. Importation, liberation or possession of each fish, wild bird, wild mammal, reptile, amphibian or invertebrate in violation of this section or such regulation shall be a separate and distinct offense and, in the case of a continuing violation, each day of continuance thereof shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense.] The Department of Environmental Protection shall issue a bill to the owner or person in illegal possession of such animal for all costs of seizure, care, maintenance, relocation or disposal for such animal.

(e) Any person who violates any provision of this section or any regulation adopted by the commissioner pursuant to this section shall be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars, to be fixed by the court, for each offense. Each violation shall be a separate and distinct offense. In the case of a continuing violation, each day's continuance thereof shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection may request the Attorney General to institute an action in Superior Court to recover such civil penalty and any amounts owed pursuant to a bill issued in accordance with subsection (d) of this section and for an order providing such equitable and injunctive relief as the court deems appropriate.

(f) Any person who wilfully violates any provision of this section or any regulation adopted by the commissioner pursuant to this section shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2009 New section
Sec. 2 October 1, 2009 26-40a
Sec. 3 October 1, 2009 26-55

Please try to make the difference, remember there are many ways you can help!

The easiest way to help is finding out who your congressional representative is and tell them how you feel. Don't know who they are? Look here.
Check out No HR 669.
Know your state laws, prove that you care about the animals you raise by not letting them loose. Owning a pet is a privledge not a right. So please take care of your responsibility.
Join and support United States Association of Reptile Keepers.
Join and support the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council.

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HR 669 And You

Saffleur — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 21:34:05 +0000

I know it's been awhile since I've written here. Life happens is all. However this is important, extremely so if you want to continue owning reptiles.

H.R. 669 in short is a blanket ban on all non-native species from the United States. That means those cute Leopard Geckos, Awesome Amazon Tree Boas and more will not be available to you anymore. In fact they would be illegal to own.

The reptile industry in America alone is a three billion dollar industry. Imagine however that no one cares. Think about this if you will, the reptile industry is not made up of large corporations either. It is made up of many small businesses and that would mean many people, friends, family, would be ruined.

There is hope however, because we have defeated this bill under a different guise. Last year H.R. 6311, the 2008 version of the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act. That bill died at the end of the 2007-2008 legislative session. That was with the help of many. Now, that help is needed again.

So are you ready to find out how you can help?

Watch this...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FPfL212CB8[/youtube]

The easiest way to help is finding out who your congressional representative is and tell them how you feel. Don't know who they are? Look here.
Check out No HR 669.
Know your state laws, prove that you care about the animals you raise by not letting them loose. Owning a pet is a privledge not a right. So please take care of your responsibility.
Join and support United States Association of Reptile Keepers.
Join and support the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council.

Email this post