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Vinnie, you have, and will be taking heat for some of your comments and our perception of your attitude - so far, I will admit that you have tried to maintain some dignity about it. I don't know you, and will be removing myself from these discussions unless you say something really stupid or offensive. Before that, I want to explain something: You have professed a concern about the availability of venomous snakes, and the ability of just about anyone to purchase them...yet you were one of the ones that WE have been voicing our concerns about for years. This is not a jab at your experience, but there are a lot of issues surrounding hots. More and more states and localities are regulating venomous (and other) reptiles, and a big piece of the impetus for legislation is people being bitten (abandoned or lost critters is a biggie with nonvenomous). Until something like that happens and brings us into the spotlight, most local governments never even think about snakes. Who would think that venomous snakes should be a concern in NY - nobody...UNTIL some dumbass got bitten by an eyelash viper. Oh, look - a newspaper article or two...and what's that, all the sudden, some member of the state government is presenting a bill to regulate venomous reptiles. Oh, and check this out...another winner of a Darwin award gets bitten while free handling a gaboon viper. A little bit of media attention, and the county in which it was purchased suddenly has a ban so restrictive that state license holders can't get shipments into that airport. YOU are Pennsylvania's worst nightmare. Reptile keepers are in the minority, and our rights are threatened and taken away at every turn. Hot keepers even more so. It is hard enough to justify why we should be allowed to keep large constrictors, monitor lizards, crocodilians, etc...without somebody realizing that a single bite from a venomous snake can cause death or permanent disfigurement (not to mention the many thousands of dollars in medical bills for treatment)
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