is usark scamming the reptile industry

Originally Posted by HerpVenue

Come to think of it..... Where is Terry Wilkins? What has he done for our industry?

If we're talking about Terry Wilkins of Captive Born Reptiles, he runs the most disgusting reptile shop Ive ever seen here in Columbus. Im not sure what hes done for the industry, but I can assure you, with the terrible conditions of his store he's certainly not helping with image.

its easy.

Type in terry wilkins into any search engine. do it for the search function here at fauna as well.

Then type in Andrew Wyatt to the same search engines and here at fauna as well.

One guy testifies in committees. The other gets arrested for breaking the laws.
One guy puts financial statements up for the public to see. The other

I also just looked at Terry's organization's website. VERY not impressed. It seems he spends more time trying to debunk USARK and PIJAC than actually trying to help the hobby.

Originally Posted by herpman081

If we're talking about Terry Wilkins of Captive Born Reptiles, he runs the most disgusting reptile shop Ive ever seen here in Columbus. Im not sure what hes done for the industry, but I can assure you, with the terrible conditions of his store he's certainly not helping with image.

And to be specific Im not talking about the store itself.. Im talking about the husbandry practices.

So, as someone who lives in NC, and keeps or has kept Burms, Retics, Venomous, and Crocodilians, I thought I should at least say something here. Early on, in one of your first posts, you consider the law that we have in our state (the "model legislation") as a sort of ban. When, in all reality, the law we have here (IMO) didn't force us to do anything we shouldn't already have been doing. Locks on cages? Having them labeled? Secure transport? These were all things responsible owners were already doing. So, to have a law on the books that requires it, instead of just outright BANNING everything...not too big of a deal to me.

I understand the concern about random law enforcement officers going through your things, and that's why I and others I associate with in this hobby have made a point to reach out to our local Law enforcement agencies, and try to establish a positive relationship with them. They've never ONCE come down my driveway to do an inspection, or try and confiscate animals, but what they have done (and continue to do), is call us every time they have a snake related "issue" that they get a 911 call on. Several times a year, I go and remove a black rat snake from someones yard, because some hysterical person has called 911 over the "giant poisonous snake on the porch". Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that my situation is the norm, or that everyone will have that same relationship. My point is, I took it upon myself to reach out to our local cops, animal control, and fire departments, and now I'm known as someone to call if they have a reptile related issue they don't know what to do with.

Also, Don't get me wrong, I understand your issues with the potential misuse of some of the verbiage of the law. But, as others have pointed out, the "model legislation" is something to be used instead of an outright ban. I personally am quite alright with "having" to put locks on my Tree Vipers, and have appropriately mandated caging for the crocodilians I have, especially since that means that I still get to keep them.

As far as the $12,000 spent on hotel rooms...do the math. There are reptile shows almost every weekend of the year, sometimes multiple shows on the same weekend, that USARK may want to have a presence at. So, $12,000 divided by 52 weekends is $230 a weekend. If they've got multiple shows in a weekend, possibly with people staying at each show...for 2, maybe 3 nights... $230 a weekend really isn't that much. I know when we do shows, we stay at least Friday and Saturday nights, and a lot of times in the bigger cities, that may still cost us $180. If you think that's an abuse of funds, and that Andrew or whatever other representative should sleep in their cars or BEHIND the USARK table, on the floor. Great. Happy for you. Just make sure you don't contribute any money to them, and then you don't have to worry about an abuse of your money.

Oh, and the $150,000 spent lobbying...any idea what other industries are spending? Assuming you're implying that $150,000 is some ridiculous amount, spend a little time researching, and you'll realize how LITTLE $150,000 really is in the Lobbying world. The NRA in 2010 spent over $2.6 Million in lobbying alone. The National CHICKEN COUNCIL spent $330,000. That's right, the Chicken Council spent more money than USARK on lobbying.... And the HSUS isn't running a national campaign against Chickens supposedly turned lose and wreaking havoc on the everglades. Just my thoughts on it all.

I rarely post here and have only one thing to say to "Rodney", if indeed that is your real name.

We live in a free society and if you believe you can better serve the reptile community than USARK....please feel free to do so.

My support has and will continue to go to USARK as they are the ONLY entity that has done anything to affect legislation in a positive way for the reptile industry. I was fortunate enough to know Andrew Wyatt when USARK first began when there was NO money, yet he persevered.

If you think you can do better....go right ahead!

Denny Rimes

Originally Posted by wlcmmtt

So, as someone who lives in NC, and keeps or has kept Burms, Retics, Venomous, and Crocodilians, I thought I should at least say something here. Early on, in one of your first posts, you consider the law that we have in our state (the "model legislation") as a sort of ban. When, in all reality, the law we have here (IMO) didn't force us to do anything we shouldn't already have been doing. Locks on cages? Having them labeled? Secure transport? These were all things responsible owners were already doing. So, to have a law on the books that requires it, instead of just outright BANNING everything...not too big of a deal to me.

I understand the concern about random law enforcement officers going through your things, and that's why I and others I associate with in this hobby have made a point to reach out to our local Law enforcement agencies, and try to establish a positive relationship with them. They've never ONCE come down my driveway to do an inspection, or try and confiscate animals, but what they have done (and continue to do), is call us every time they have a snake related "issue" that they get a 911 call on. Several times a year, I go and remove a black rat snake from someones yard, because some hysterical person has called 911 over the "giant poisonous snake on the porch". Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that my situation is the norm, or that everyone will have that same relationship. My point is, I took it upon myself to reach out to our local cops, animal control, and fire departments, and now I'm known as someone to call if they have a reptile related issue they don't know what to do with.

Also, Don't get me wrong, I understand your issues with the potential misuse of some of the verbiage of the law. But, as others have pointed out, the "model legislation" is something to be used instead of an outright ban. I personally am quite alright with "having" to put locks on my Tree Vipers, and have appropriately mandated caging for the crocodilians I have, especially since that means that I still get to keep them.

As far as the $12,000 spent on hotel rooms...do the math. There are reptile shows almost every weekend of the year, sometimes multiple shows on the same weekend, that USARK may want to have a presence at. So, $12,000 divided by 52 weekends is $230 a weekend. If they've got multiple shows in a weekend, possibly with people staying at each show...for 2, maybe 3 nights... $230 a weekend really isn't that much. I know when we do shows, we stay at least Friday and Saturday nights, and a lot of times in the bigger cities, that may still cost us $180. If you think that's an abuse of funds, and that Andrew or whatever other representative should sleep in their cars or BEHIND the USARK table, on the floor. Great. Happy for you. Just make sure you don't contribute any money to them, and then you don't have to worry about an abuse of your money.

Oh, and the $150,000 spent lobbying...any idea what other industries are spending? Assuming you're implying that $150,000 is some ridiculous amount, spend a little time researching, and you'll realize how LITTLE $150,000 really is in the Lobbying world. The NRA in 2010 spent over $2.6 Million in lobbying alone. The National CHICKEN COUNCIL spent $330,000. That's right, the Chicken Council spent more money than USARK on lobbying.... And the HSUS isn't running a national campaign against Chickens supposedly turned lose and wreaking havoc on the everglades. Just my thoughts on it all.

Good post and well written. Thank you Robert.

A search for Terry Wilkins on the BOI reveals several bad threads. Here is just one of those threads-
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...+Born+Reptiles
All of this picked up speed when Terry went on Urban Jungles Rdaio and tried to discredit and downplay the ARK. A cheap attempt to redirect donations to his group; which has not achieved anything since it's conception (apparently they are older than USARK but I haven't heard of them until this year).

Originally Posted by wlcmmtt

So, as someone who lives in NC, and keeps or has kept Burms, Retics, Venomous, and Crocodilians, I thought I should at least say something here. Early on, in one of your first posts, you consider the law that we have in our state (the "model legislation") as a sort of ban. When, in all reality, the law we have here (IMO) didn't force us to do anything we shouldn't already have been doing. Locks on cages? Having them labeled? Secure transport? These were all things responsible owners were already doing. So, to have a law on the books that requires it, instead of just outright BANNING everything...not too big of a deal to me.

I understand the concern about random law enforcement officers going through your things, and that's why I and others I associate with in this hobby have made a point to reach out to our local Law enforcement agencies, and try to establish a positive relationship with them. They've never ONCE come down my driveway to do an inspection, or try and confiscate animals, but what they have done (and continue to do), is call us every time they have a snake related "issue" that they get a 911 call on. Several times a year, I go and remove a black rat snake from someones yard, because some hysterical person has called 911 over the "giant poisonous snake on the porch". Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that my situation is the norm, or that everyone will have that same relationship. My point is, I took it upon myself to reach out to our local cops, animal control, and fire departments, and now I'm known as someone to call if they have a reptile related issue they don't know what to do with.

Also, Don't get me wrong, I understand your issues with the potential misuse of some of the verbiage of the law. But, as others have pointed out, the "model legislation" is something to be used instead of an outright ban. I personally am quite alright with "having" to put locks on my Tree Vipers, and have appropriately mandated caging for the crocodilians I have, especially since that means that I still get to keep them.

As far as the $12,000 spent on hotel rooms...do the math. There are reptile shows almost every weekend of the year, sometimes multiple shows on the same weekend, that USARK may want to have a presence at. So, $12,000 divided by 52 weekends is $230 a weekend. If they've got multiple shows in a weekend, possibly with people staying at each show...for 2, maybe 3 nights... $230 a weekend really isn't that much. I know when we do shows, we stay at least Friday and Saturday nights, and a lot of times in the bigger cities, that may still cost us $180. If you think that's an abuse of funds, and that Andrew or whatever other representative should sleep in their cars or BEHIND the USARK table, on the floor. Great. Happy for you. Just make sure you don't contribute any money to them, and then you don't have to worry about an abuse of your money.

Oh, and the $150,000 spent lobbying...any idea what other industries are spending? Assuming you're implying that $150,000 is some ridiculous amount, spend a little time researching, and you'll realize how LITTLE $150,000 really is in the Lobbying world. The NRA in 2010 spent over $2.6 Million in lobbying alone. The National CHICKEN COUNCIL spent $330,000. That's right, the Chicken Council spent more money than USARK on lobbying.... And the HSUS isn't running a national campaign against Chickens supposedly turned lose and wreaking havoc on the everglades. Just my thoughts on it all.

Being from NC and a NCARK member before USARK, I agree 100%. Problem is; I have tried to get that point across to Rodney in another anti-ARK thread he started months ago. It works on reasonable folks, but fall short on him. He just doesn't get it. Very well written Robert, proud to have other NC keepers speaking up. After all, we live everyday with the model legislation.

Oh--i don't see 100,000+ being a problem for lobbying. far as I'm concerned, USARK should be all about lobbying

Originally Posted by wlcmmtt

So, as someone who lives in NC, and keeps or has kept Burms, Retics, Venomous, and Crocodilians, I thought I should at least say something here. Early on, in one of your first posts, you consider the law that we have in our state (the "model legislation") as a sort of ban. When, in all reality, the law we have here (IMO) didn't force us to do anything we shouldn't already have been doing. Locks on cages? Having them labeled? Secure transport? These were all things responsible owners were already doing. So, to have a law on the books that requires it, instead of just outright BANNING everything...not too big of a deal to me.

I understand the concern about random law enforcement officers going through your things, and that's why I and others I associate with in this hobby have made a point to reach out to our local Law enforcement agencies, and try to establish a positive relationship with them. They've never ONCE come down my driveway to do an inspection, or try and confiscate animals, but what they have done (and continue to do), is call us every time they have a snake related "issue" that they get a 911 call on. Several times a year, I go and remove a black rat snake from someones yard, because some hysterical person has called 911 over the "giant poisonous snake on the porch". Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that my situation is the norm, or that everyone will have that same relationship. My point is, I took it upon myself to reach out to our local cops, animal control, and fire departments, and now I'm known as someone to call if they have a reptile related issue they don't know what to do with.

Also, Don't get me wrong, I understand your issues with the potential misuse of some of the verbiage of the law. But, as others have pointed out, the "model legislation" is something to be used instead of an outright ban. I personally am quite alright with "having" to put locks on my Tree Vipers, and have appropriately mandated caging for the crocodilians I have, especially since that means that I still get to keep them.

As far as the $12,000 spent on hotel rooms...do the math. There are reptile shows almost every weekend of the year, sometimes multiple shows on the same weekend, that USARK may want to have a presence at. So, $12,000 divided by 52 weekends is $230 a weekend. If they've got multiple shows in a weekend, possibly with people staying at each show...for 2, maybe 3 nights... $230 a weekend really isn't that much. I know when we do shows, we stay at least Friday and Saturday nights, and a lot of times in the bigger cities, that may still cost us $180. If you think that's an abuse of funds, and that Andrew or whatever other representative should sleep in their cars or BEHIND the USARK table, on the floor. Great. Happy for you. Just make sure you don't contribute any money to them, and then you don't have to worry about an abuse of your money.

Oh, and the $150,000 spent lobbying...any idea what other industries are spending? Assuming you're implying that $150,000 is some ridiculous amount, spend a little time researching, and you'll realize how LITTLE $150,000 really is in the Lobbying world. The NRA in 2010 spent over $2.6 Million in lobbying alone. The National CHICKEN COUNCIL spent $330,000. That's right, the Chicken Council spent more money than USARK on lobbying.... And the HSUS isn't running a national campaign against Chickens supposedly turned lose and wreaking havoc on the everglades. Just my thoughts on it all.

Great post. I think that having USARK champion the RIGHT legislation is a good idea. NC has the right idea. If we don't try and pass legislation that benifits us, HSUS, PETA, and all the other "animal rights" groups will make sure that laws are passed without our input. You can bet it wouldn't be in our favor.