IL call to action new law affecting ALL animals

First and for most this was quoted from the text which can be read in full by following the link at the bottom
“These import provisions would be repealed under the new rule, and replaced with blanket requirements”
blanket requirements that means all species of animal reptile, bird, mammal etc must conform to these standards. Same standards for all “vaccinated against rabies” last time I checked there was no rabies shot for reptiles or birds. Imagine trying to import 500 baby ball pythons get them all rabies shots(if it didn’t kill them) and having to met the following, remember these will be blanket requirements for all animals brought into the state,

“State the age, sex, breed, number and description of animals in the
State that animals are free from visible evidence of contagious, infectious
that they originated in an area that is not under rabies quarantine,
vaccinated against rabies as required by the Illinois Animal Control
Be filed with the Department prior to entry of the animals into the state.
Be issued by an accredited veterinarian of the state of origin or one
veterinarian in the country of origin.
Be in a form that is approved by the animal health official of the state
the state or country of origin.
Have an issuance date within 30 days prior to entry into Illinois.”

I spoke to a Jackie Eckert (217)782-2172 with the IL dept of ag today and really didn’t get anywhere. I haven’t had time to decipher all this nonsense but what I can tell you is the reptile shows will be all but gone. The current law requires anyone who buys dogs or cats with the intent to sell to be regulated, the only exemption is selling offspring you produced. So if this passes not only is it ridiculous but it will sky rocket the price of all animals legally brought into the state by requiring vets to write more or less a book on each animal. Most dealers I think would just send their animals else where as it would be to much headache to ship them into IL. Also since they would ad the defintion of exotic the their list of aniamls that are regulated ALL dealers in IL would need to be regulated. How one from out of state could come in to sell is beyond me. Imagine the Tinley Park Show with only animals produced here in IL, You’d be able to fit the entire show in half an isle. Tomorrow Ill be making more calls and trying to get more contact info to send emails and what not to. But be ready because this was just released today and they vote on it OCT 26th if passed it will be implemented by the end of the month, within the next 14days. Below is a link to the full text
http://pijac.org/files/public/IL_IMP_REG.pdf

I would have posted this in the law forum but couldnt find it, is there still a law forum?

Jason,i am not trying to start a fight here.What you are doing here is totally wrong.If this law does pass it will only affect people that are licensed thru the Dept of Ag.This includes all pet stores ,puppy mills and the such not individual reptile hobbyist or breeders.I do not understand why you are trying to get everyone in Illinois worried about some law that does not or will not apply to them.A word of advice,by you calling all these people about this law that does not involve us(reptile hobbyist and breeders) you are not helping us at all.By you calling these people and snapping on them you are stirring up trouble for the rest of us we do not need.Yes its true they would love to shut us all down from keeping our reptiles.I do not see that ever happening.We might be individuals but joined together we create an army that will not back down.Next time you see something that concerns you could you please make sure it involves us(hobbyist and breeders) before you stir up things.

After reading it, I agree with Joe, it doesn't appear to have any effect on reptile keepers or breeders. Specifically it says:

The proposed amendments prohibit persons licensed by the Department from accepting
animals imported into the state unless the animals are accompanied by both a health certificate and an “entry
permit number” assigned by the Department.

Also as to the rabies for reptiles issue, it further states:

[Health certificates must state] ...that animals have been
vaccinated against rabies as required by the Illinois Animal Control Act.

I doubt the IL Animal Control Act requires that reptiles be vaccinated against rabies.

I spoke directly with Marshal Myers and Mike Maddox this morning at PIJAC. The number one thing everyone can do is join PIJAC.....its costs just $35 a year I think for the minimum membership fee. Log onto PIJAC.org and sign up today. My check goes out in the morning. You will receive the PIJAC newsletter that will fill you in on all legal issues facing the pet trade. You cant fight unless you know what is going on here guys!!! By signing up for PIJAC it gives them one more name on the list when they lobby the people in government who make the laws. Every name helps......no matter where you live. This recent attack on our rights to keep herps is just one of many more to come. Its time to fight guys.....lets get on the offensive and stop doing everything on the defensive. We need to start acting like a real industry.....lets each do something and stop waiting on someone else to do it for us. Every one of you out there needs to join PIJAC and start writing letters and let the government officials know we are tired of this crap. There are issues in this world that need their attention........and this is not one of them. Illinois like most states is facing budgets they cannot meet and job losses everywhere.....killing jobs with bills like this is not going to help anyone. A bill like this will kill the pet industry in one day. Can Illinois afford tolose more business? Can any state afford to lose the incredible amount of money the pet industry generates or the salaries the pet industry provides? Dead industries create zero tax dollars.....and I have never met a government official that would like to have less tax dollars to spend....have you? Its time to take action guys.....Illinois law will become your states law as soon as it is passed......big city law filters down to small cities......draw the line in the sand here before it gets to your back yard! ITS SIMPLE PEOPLE.......FIGHT NOW OR CRY LATER!!! Encourage everyone you know to join.....family, friends, customers.....everyone loses if we lose.

Brian Potter
Chicago Reptile House
North American Reptile Breeders Conf & Trade Shows
Link

This doesnt effect us????????? That is the biggest bunch of crap I have ever heard. This is the problem with our industry. Why is it not your problem? Do you attend herp shows? Yes? Well not if this passes. Do you ever ship in herps from breeders? Not any more if this passes. Do you think if this passes they will stop there? No way! This is simple incrementalism (forgive the spelling) they are going to keep coming after us guys. We can all be seperate and fight when it effects us directly or get together and fight each and every law as a united industry. What do you think will work better? Stirring up the pot you say?????? Thats rediculous......the pot is boiling over.......we are losing our rights every day in one city or another guys. You think sitting there and hiding and not speaking up is the way to keep laws from getting passed? Or even better speak up and slam someone when they protest or attempt to fight????? Yes......I own a store and Im licensed......so it does effect me......but if I cant sell herps how do you expect people to buy them????? How do feed your stuff? Is it all bred here in Illinois? It better be.....because I dont see people getting health certs for feeders.....and thats how the law reads. Do you think that PIJAC being very concerned over this proposed law is reason for you to worry a little???? Do you think if this passes the big breeders are going to ship into our state??? I can tell you right now......NO WAY!!! Too much liability (risk) on their part for the reward of shipping. Wake up people.......we are losing ground fast. We cannot expect others to fight.....we all need to fight.

Brian Potter
Chicago Reptile House
North American Reptile Breeders Conf & Trade Show

I'm speaking only for myself in reference to my own post.
I'm not saying we shouldn't fight this bill, I'm only saying from the report posted by PIJAC, it does not affect us in the way the original post suggests.
I'm not in favor of any additional legislation concerning the pet industry. Any legislation passed often open the doors to other bills and it will affect us all in the end.
If this bill will concern the pet keeper who orders an animal from an out of state breeder, or in fact will impact hep shows, then PIJAC needs to revise their description of the bill itself. From the wording they used it affects only licensed entities.

In your first post you mentioned you spoke directly with people from PIJAC, but you didn't mention what they said exactly, the post was basically just a call to join their group.

As I said I believe in fighting any such law as this, but if the intent of the law is misunderstood from the start, the efforts of the people protesting are hindered from the start.
If you protest a proposed law on the basis that it will affect you in a way that it actually doesn't then your entire argument falls apart.
Before you can argue against a proposed bill, you have to know exactly what that bill will result in if passed.

Whether anyone likes it or not...the simple fact of the matter is ANY law that pertains to animals...the sale of, keeping of, transporting of, the collecting of...etc..etc.. affects EVERYONE within that hobby, industry, and common ground regardless of what level their hobby or business is at.

You take Ohio for example...it also started with "just a few" laws and regulations pertaining to "businesses", now they're trying to pass a law that will make every single "exotic" pet owner register, get licensed, put up retaining walls and post notices around their properties...etc..etc..etc. The reason they can try and get away with passing this new "keepers" law in Ohio....is because no one put a fight when they passed the laws pertaining to "businesses".

Poo Poo rolls downhill no matter how you look at it, the only way to stop it is to fight it at every single level.

"I do not understand why you are trying to get everyone in Illinois worried about some law that does not or will not apply to them."

Well maybe thats because it DOES affect us all, look at the requirements for dog breeders and the like. If you buy dogs for the purpose of resale you must be licsinsed by the dept of ag. If they adopt the same terminology towards reptiles and you buy reptiles from say glades herps with intent to resale in the state of IL then you must conform to these standards so please before you post ignorant garbage and say dont worry, make a few phones call and learn exactly how this wil affect you. This is VERY serious, do you know they just passed a law last year that all vendoras at trade shows need to be registered and the owner of the show must be able to provide ALL YOUR info to the dept of ag on request? did you know that? all they need to do is take that one step farther and there will be no more shows unless maybe you would be satisfied with only being able to look at tables full of dry goods and nothing else. WAKE THE HELL UP.

"I doubt the IL Animal Control Act requires that reptiles be vaccinated against rabies." FYI THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE ACT THEY ARE REVISING. So no its current reading it doesnt say reptiles have to be vaccinated but that happens to be the one they are revising. FYI again, rabies vaccine would kill reptiles thus it cant be dont, thus if the law calls for it guess what because no vet will do it nowing it will kill the reps no one will be able to bring reptiles in because they wont be able to satisfy the requirements. darr....