Possible ban on boas and pythons

Ball Python - photo © ronald durstThe U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has made a significant move towards banning the importation and interstate transport of Boa Constrictors and Pythons in the United States. Quietly published in the Federal Register, the agency is accepting public comments until April 30th. If enacted this will devastate an already hard hit industry, dealing a fatal death blow to a large number of businesses dependent on this segment of the industry and drying up the supply of these pets to pet owners across the United States. Noted herpetologist, author, former zookeeper, and one of the leading private researchers and breeders of pythons in the United States, David Barker, had this to say...

This is the formal notification and request for public comments regarding the intention of USF&W Service to place ALL snakes in the genera Boa, Python, and Eunectes on the Injurious Wildlife List of the Lacey Act.

If enacted as regulation, this will ban the importation of said snakes into the USA , and ban all interstate transportation of said snakes.

There is a request made for public input and we feel it will be very important that all keepers with an interest in boas and pythons make written response before 30 April.

This is VERY important. Don’t take this lightly.

Once the importation and inter-state transport has been banned, there will be a rapid exodus of breeders of these species, and eventually they will disappear from the marketplace along with a significant number of businesses and jobs. Pet owners will feel the pinch as dry goods suppliers and caging manufacturers stop producing products for that segment of the hobby, and eventually it will be impossible to obtain a new pet boa or python.

To review the USF & W Service proposal, please look at the following document. http://kingsnake.com/FWSReview.pdf

Please note that this is a .pdf file and requires Adobe Acrobat to open and read it.

This just bites.

Anyone interested in helping fight for our rights to keep these animals, needs to join PIJAC. They have the willingness, the people, and with our help, the resources to go to battle over regulations like these.

They are financed through membership fees, and they are not large fees. A mere 0.04% of the annual income of your company should you be a breeder. That's not 4¢ on the dollar, but 4¢ on every $100. Mere pennies. We need everyones help.

There is a petition that we should all sign at
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/boasandpythonsban/?e

Originally Posted by Casey Hulse

There is a petition that we should all sign at
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/boasandpythonsban/?e

They wont accept online petitions or any sort of blog entry.

They wont accept online petitions or any sort of blog entry.

Fauna? Sorry.

Anyone interested in helping fight for our rights to keep these animals, needs to join PIJAC. They have the willingness, the people, and with our help, the resources to go to battle over regulations like these.

Great idea, I just joined.

The feds are pretty clear that no online petitions will be read or accepted. Our letters need to be clear, fact based, and professional.

I was reading some on K/S and calling bill proposers/law writers "retards" is not the best way to handle this situation.

Originally Posted by Casey Hulse

Fauna? Sorry.

Online petitions generally do no do squat. they just make people feel better about doing "something" when really they are doing nothing. ( there was another post about this stuff not that long ago somewhere)

If you read the links that are provided, links within other links as well, you will eventually see that they clearly state that online petitions and other such things will not be accepted. You have to personally write to them, or follow the correct methods of "giving your opinion" in order for them to even consider listening/reading it.

http://kingsnake.com/FWSReview.pdf
( and also at the pet hobbyist link, is where i see the information regarding what you can and cant submit as well)


They list contact info within the PDF file.

I agree... write well considered letters and put some thought into what you are typing.

This is the most oppressive thing to come out of our government since prohibition. We all need to act now and together to make it better.