Laws banning reptiles!, your state could be next!

This bill has been around for a good while. It was written in January 2003, but as far as I know still has not made it to the Governor's desk.
The links you posted though were to the original wording of the bill. Back in the first of July the community had an email campaign and had the wording changed. The entire boidae family is no longer on the list, but a few species have been named specifically.

Here is a link to the ammendment of the bill
http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A11753&sh=t

Pataki plans to sign the bill, but required the above amendment, I'm sure in part due to the herping community voicing their opinion.
The entire bill won't be stopped, but the original wording was completely unacceptable. At least that was corrected.

any idea to who wrote the bill? since they named species specifically they must of some knowledge of the herps in question

what i mean is that this bill wasnt just slapped together by a single person their must of been some thought put into it.

Vince,

Thanks so much for your view from the other side of the fence. I dont think you need worry about getting flamed on this forum as we all know there are people out there who buy the cute 2 foot python not realizing how big the thing is going to get.

I also can see the potential good of a properly written, well thought out law that would require those wanting these animals to register (not ban) them.

Anyway thanks again

I don't know how much registering your reptiles would help. First, who will monitor the registered animals? Dogs and cats can be registered and still, how many owners do it? And of those who do, how many abandon them for the same reasons some reptiles are abandoned? Humane societies are filled with unwanted animals that can't get adopted, many of them registered!

It is sad, what this degenerated into. But what angers me are those people that brought it upon every reptile lover. Now everyone pays.

They thought they were paying out to much for capturing these few and far between, loose animals!...Wait tell they have to start enforcing and implementing these new laws. It's a vicious cycle and in the end BIG GOVERNMENT ends up taxeing the people to cover there silly ass laws.

Few and far between do not become invasives or diseases!

The harm is extensively documented. I am sad to learn that capturing a few here and there is petty to some, ignoring what happens to those that aren't captured! I will not rediscover the velcro here.

Bottomline, they are doing what they have to do to protect innocent animals and the environment, because a too large number of breeders and owners will not keep their animals responsibly.

Don't blame it on the government, blame it right back on irresponsible breeders and owners. Unless those look beyond their wallets or own comforts, the poor animals will be the ultimate victims. We can only hope that with time they educate themselves and develop a sense of responsibility and respect for the critters. Maybe that will change legislation against their best interest.

Bottomline, they are doing what they have to do to protect innocent animals and the environment, because a too large number of breeders and owners will not keep their animals responsibly.

WOW! doing what they have to do? Thats scary!
Do you really think that any of the Monitors listed could not only survive the climate of New york, let alone in enough numbers to propagate them selves! Or how about Retic's...I don't think so! This law isnt even about the problems that you are stating, and they are definatly problems to be sure. There having problems with Nile Monitors in The Fort Myers area of Florida, and Hawaii is having problems with veiled chameleons (they have all but given up on Jacksons, there everywhere!) There are invasive species everywhere, and it's not only animals it's plants as well. But this law in New York has nothing to do with these reptiles reproducing in the subways of New York. If that was the case there are many other animals that are much more of a concern than a long list of reptiles that come from the tropic's.

Don't blame it on the government, blame it right back on irresponsible breeders and owners.

And if you think that this law will correct the problem of "stupid people" letting animals go free, you are kidding your self. There will always be "stupid & ignorant people" no law in the world will fix that problem!
Hey, what if a few people start letting there Leopard geckos go? Should we ban them too?
The problem is very rarley the animals fault! Its the people who are doing this that need to be charged for the recapture of there animals.
I think this runs along the same lines as the gun control lobby!
And the saying: "guns don't kill people! People kill people"
Well I think this is a good slogan for the anti coalition againt laws like these.
"Nile monitors don't kill people! People kill people!"
Although I personaly don't like Nile monitors, I think they make lousy pets.

It's the laws that will follow that will further restrict what we do as Americans that scares me! Who's to say that when this law take effect that a couple of years later, a bunch of people who are afraid of rubber boas & bearded dragons say's we should ban those "creepy" things. Think about it! Its happened before and it most definataly can happen again!

I think this pretty much sums it up for me!
Posted by Webslave:
A quote to remember...

Many people are undoubtedly thinking "It isn't MY state, so why should I get involved?" Or, "Those aren't MY animals at risk, so why should I worry about it?"

To emphasize the point I am trying to make here, this quote by the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller, a concentration camp survivor, comes to mind and deserves repeating:

quote:
"First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I didn't speak up;

Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I didn't speak up;

Then they came for the trade unionists, but I wasn't a trade unionist, so I didn't speak up;

Then they came for the Catholics, but I wasn't a Catholic, so I didn't speak up;

And then they came for me, and there was nobody left to speak up for me.”



Think about this, please.

__________________
WebSlave
I am Dyslexic of Borg. Your ass will be laminated.

Am I glad that laws standing up for animals aren't signed over message boards!

I do think about my state, those laws are already emplaced. Did you miss my post before? No permits are being issued to import reptiles at the present in Connecticut.

We can argue back and forth but extreme situations require extreme measures. And sadly, each irresponsible owner or breeder that ever mistreated or abandoned an animal in the wild only has himself/herself to blame for this. Animal lovers should be happy to do anything to protect them, even if it dents a hole in the wallet.

I will only support responsible ownership, breeding and husbandry of reptiles.

We can argue back and forth but extreme situations require extreme measures. And sadly, each irresponsible owner or breeder that ever mistreated or abandoned an animal in the wild only has himself/herself to blame for this.

I hardly think this is an EXTREME problem in NEW YORK.

But I guess in your mind, we all should pay with the loss of our freedoms, because of a few mis-aliened individuals!
Sorry I dis-agree I think there are other ways to compensate the retrieval and recovery of said animals in question!