For those who may not know, Marc Cantos has been actively representing the interests of the Florida Reptile Industry for the past several years with various legislative groups in the state of Florida. The issues stated below are very serious and everyone needs to step up and support the efforts of groups like PIJAC to prevent this type of broad-brush legislature.
Please read all of this! The portions marked in red are especially dangerous to anyone involved in the reptile trade.
Hello Everyone:
PIJAC is preparing a Pet Alert for next week that will explain how this amendment has gotten to this point, and what will be going on from here.
Essentially, at the urging of a group of renegade Louisiana turtle farmers, Senator Mary Landrew D La, has snuck this amendment on an Agriculture bill that has already passed the Senate. The bill must now be reviewed by conference committees in both the House and Senate. If it passes, the President will sign it into law. We ALL need to contact the conference committee members once they are named, along with our own Congressmen and Senators - to take it up with the conference committee members. (PIJAC will provide the contact info.)
**In case you're not sure how you're reading it, These turtle farmers are openly screwing the entire reptile industry, as this amendment requires the Secretary of Agriculture to either repeal the 4 inch turtle law, or prohibit the sale of any reptile species that may pose a salmonella threat. If this passes, the Humane Society Of the United States will push harder than pit bulls for this new law to be enforced. Please get this out to everyone affected; and everyone please be prepared to read next week's Pet Alert, spread the information contained, and then act (contact your representatives) as soon as the conference committees are named. (PIJAC will keep us posted). They will need to hear it from us, and our Senators and congressmen. Or, we can all start figuring out what we'd all do after reptiles...
Marc Cantos
PS Happy Holidays
READ ALL OF IT; BABY TURTLES ARE NOT THE WHOLE ISSUE. THIS IS FROM THE CURRENT "HERP DIGEST"....
9) The Domestic Pet Turtle Equality Act – Or the Louisiana Turtle Farmers Strike Again.
(Editor- Defenders of Wildlife found this snuck into the Senate Farm Bill manager's amendment that passed last week (page 48). The only information that I have at the moment, that I believe is true, is that necessary hearings between the House and Senate to iron out a single bill that both houses of congress can vote on will take place in February. As I stated I believe this is just another attempt by the Louisiana turtle farmers to legalize the sale of red-eared sliders in the U.S. Thus making it possible to buy turtles not only on the street corners of every major city in the U.S., but your local pet shop, pet chain and even Walmart. Though the Farmer’s representatives got the amendment attached to the Senate version of the FDA bill, it was removed by the House. Now the farmer’s reps are trying to attach it to the recently passed Agriculture bill. I will be sending additional information on this as I receive it.)
The following is the bill as it now stands.
TITLE __--DOMESTIC PET TURTLE MARKET ACCESS
SEC. __. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the "Domestic Pet Turtle Equality Act ".
SEC. __. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Pet turtles less than 10.2 centimeters in diameter have been banned for sale in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration since 1975 due to health concerns.
(2) The Food and Drug Administration does not ban the sale of iguanas or other lizards, snakes, frogs, or other amphibians or reptiles that are sold as pets in the United States that carry salmonella bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration also does not require that these animals be treated for salmonella bacteria before being sold as pets.
(3) The technology to treat turtles for salmonella, and make them safe for sale, has greatly advanced since 1975. Treatments exist that can eradicate salmonella from turtles up until the point of sale, and individuals are more aware of the causes of salmonella, how to treat salmonella poisoning, and the seriousness associated with salmonella poisoning.
(4) University research has shown that these turtles can be treated in such a way that they can be raised, shipped, and distributed without having a recolonization of salmonella.
(5) University research has also shown that pet owners can be equipped with a treatment regimen that allows the turtle to be maintained safe from salmonella.
(6) The Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture should allow the sale of turtles less than 10.2 centimeters in diameter as pets as long as the sellers are required to use proven methods to treat these turtles for salmonella.
SEC. __. REVIEW, REPORT, AND ACTION ON THE SALE OF BABY TURTLES.
(a) Pet Turtle.--In this section, the term "pet turtle" means a turtle that is less than 10.2 centimeters in diameter.
(b) Prevalence of Salmonella.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this title, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, shall determine the prevalence of salmonella in each species of reptile and amphibian sold legally as a pet in the United States in order to determine whether the prevalence of salmonella in reptiles and amphibians sold legally as pets in the United States on average is not more than 10 percent less than the percentage of salmonella in pet turtles.
(c) Action if Prevalence Is Similar.--If the prevalence of salmonella in reptiles and amphibians sold legally as pets in the United States on average is not more than 10 percent less than the percentage of salmonella in pet turtles--
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture shall--
(A) conduct a study to determine how pet turtles can be sold safely as pets in the United States and provide recommendations to Congress not later than 150 days after the date of such determination;
(B) in conducting such study, consult with all relevant stakeholders, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the turtle farming industry, academia, and the American Academy of Pediatrics; and
(C) examine the safety measures taken to protect individuals from salmonella-related dangers involved with reptiles and amphibians sold legally in the United States that contain a similar or greater presence of salmonella than that of pet turtles; and
(2) the Secretary of Agriculture--
(A) may not prohibit the sale of pet turtles in the United States; or
(B) shall prohibit the sale in the United States of any reptile or amphibian that contains a similar or greater prevalence of salmonella than that of pet turtles.
FYI: Mike and Marshall at PIJAC's E-mail address'
mmaddox@pijac.org,
mmeyers@pijac.org