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There is a distinct and important difference between animal rights (PETA, HSUS) and animal welfare. PETA and HSUS ascribe individual, human-equivalent rights to animals, and consider animal ownership abhorrent. Animal welfare is concerned with the proper treatment of animals by humans while understanding that humans use animals for a variety of purposes (e.g. companionship, labor, food, clothing, etc.).
PETA, HSUS, and the ASPCA are all strongly against reptile and amphibian ownership. PETA and HSUS are strongly against any animal ownership. Animal welfare tends to be enforced by the US Department of Agriculture, local law and code enforcement, and local animal control.
As far as a group dedicated to the welfare of captive reptiles and amphibians, only local herpetoculture groups currently fill that role. USARK is a lobbying machine concerned with state and federal legislation prohibiting or controlling the market of pet reptiles and amphibians... they are not directly concerned with the welfare of those animals.
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