Is USARK present here and using this forum?

Originally Posted by rodneynboalich

webslave needs to be the one telling me that. this is a usark section of the forum they were on here saying they didnt know about it. im assuming they will be back and i had some questions for them. i think we all do and i am very interested to hear what they have to say. and i dont think they will be able to get out it and just ignore it this time, like they have in the past.

Actually, no, any Mod can tell you this (and just did). You want to ask questions, start another thread, don't invade one that's on a different subject.

Originally Posted by rodneynboalich

webslave needs to be the one telling me that. this is a usark section of the forum they were on here saying they didnt know about it. im assuming they will be back and i had some questions for them. i think we all do and i am very interested to hear what they have to say. and i dont think they will be able to get out it and just ignore it this time, like they have in the past.

I'm sure Rich will tell you that when he's back on. In the meantime I'm telling you to keep your questions for USARK in the thread you started on the BOI. There's no need to keep dragging the same rants all over the site.
The purpose of this thread was to determine if USARK intended to continue utilizing this forum, not to debate the merits of their actions. Any further posts of that nature here will result in off topic infractions.
That goes for everyone, not just Rodney.

Originally Posted by Clay Davenport

I'm sure Rich will tell you that when he's back on. In the meantime I'm telling you to keep your questions for USARK in the thread you started on the BOI. There's no need to keep dragging the same rants all over the site.
The purpose of this thread was to determine if USARK intended to continue utilizing this forum, not to debate the merits of their actions. Any further posts of that nature here will result in off topic infractions.
That goes for everyone, not just Rodney.

ok ill move my question to the thread usark started. there are lots of people asking question there and since you or any other mods seem to have a problem with ill do the same. sorry for the mistake

once again i apologize but in the other usark thread they started i would like to point out agian that question are being asked and comments are being made and no one is being told not to so. so i hope im afforded the same rights as everyone else.

I never post here, but lurk and read rather often. I have been following this issue closely and to be honest, suprised it hasnt happened sooner. I think Rodney's criticisms of USARK are valid. He has basically called out the USARK contingent as ineffective and misguided. Yes, he does have a track record of being anti-USARK, but I am beginning to see why. It seems that everyone involved in this 'industry' is content with burying their head in the sand and not expecting more from the people that have asked for donations, time, and attention while they represent our collective interests.

I think expecting us to have to trek over to the BOI to find pointed rebuttals and/or questions for USARK is tantamount to sequestering those points of view to the proverbial back room. Although I do not agree with Rodney on all points, I think it is very short sighted to keep his scrutiny out of this side of the discussion thread especially for those who might be new to the topic of this all-out ban. Collectively, we need to be aware of all sides of this discussion.

And for the record, its my opinion that as reactionary, uninformed, and stultifyingly misguided as this ban is, the 'industry'(the breeders, the retailers, and the hobbyists)have been unwilling to put the needs of these animals in front of the zeal for money, notoriety, and bragging rights. What the hell did we think was going to happen when all those cute lil' baby pythons we have been breeding thousands and thousands of? What did we think was going to happen by then selling them to any person who could fork out $50-100? People prove themselves as irresponsible with animals on a daily basis. This ban on large snakes is a reaction to that irresponsibility, but it is our own damn fault and will probably extend to include a bunch more.

Rodney if you could write more like Jim does you would probably be received better. Both you guys do have valid points.

Originally Posted by JColt

Rodney if you could write more like Jim does you would probably be received better. Both you guys do have valid points.

dude it dosnt matter how i type. when you saying something that isnt the status quo you are always wrong.

Originally Posted by rodneynboalich

webslave needs to be the one telling me that. this is a usark section of the forum they were on here saying they didnt know about it. im assuming they will be back and i had some questions for them. i think we all do and i am very interested to hear what they have to say. and i dont think they will be able to get out it and just ignore it this time, like they have in the past.

OK, I'm telling you "that".

Cease, please.....

Neither pro nor con when it comes to USARK .I would like to know what their roles were ? Not some vague ,ambiguous statement for press release .Were they really effective in mitigating the damage initially intended by the HSUS' and other zealots .Lobbyists require funding ,the one does not exist without the other ,but were they really effective ?

Please cite some tangible instances if you could .The reason I ask ,is this is clearly

STEP ONE.......MORE TO FOLLOW .We need an effective means of oppositin ,if there isn't one ,or else .I don't think any of us would like what their(animal rights groups) ideal scenario would look like .

I think Marcus has a valid question as to what the USARK's actual involvement and effectiveness has been up to this point. Regardless of their efforts thusfar, the new regulations have been handed down and most likely will not be overturned. To use restriction placed on certain canine breeds as an example: Pit bulls, rottweilers (sp?), dobermans and a few others have been targeted by legislaturers and activist groups as attack dogs and animals prone to biting, thus ownership is now regulated/restricted in many states. Whether these conceptions are valid or not is irrelevant. The issue is that the general public have these attitudes regardless of Pit bull/Rottweiler/etc owner groups' efforts to change the public's opinion. And these are dogs... America's Best Freind.

Reptiles in general and snakes in specific have a waaaay bigger image problem than any dog, if not outright antipathy within the general public. The amount of misinformation is staggering, even within our own ranks. To compound the problem, the large snakes are continually featured on Animal Planet, Discovery, et al. as 'giant killers' in fear-based programs designed to shock and awe veiwers. Also, conservation groups are now on the bandwagon touting these animals as destructive invasive species which (in Florida for example) they can be.

It is doubtful that any group such as USARK will be able to wipe this new ban off the books. There is already the public's conception of snakes (and their owners) to contend with, and that will not change any time soon. It is most likely that many more species will be added to the list of 'banned' animals. It would be beneficial from this point on for USARK and other similar groups to try to stem the bleeding as it were and try to prevent the ban from extending to the smaller snake species. We as hobbyists/owners should try to work with the rule makers toward a system of regulation/permits for ownership before an all-out ban is status quo. It might already be too late however.