bpc

I was a vendor at this show. I was asked to produce my license by an undercover officer. I explained to him that I had left my license in box which was left behind by mistake. I also told him I understood that I was supposed to have my lincense w/ me while at the show. I then showed my business card which has my license number, address, name, etc. all right on it. I APOLOGIZED for being in violoation of what is a pretty simple law, and then awaited my ticket. The officer asked me a few questions, told me he was going to run the number through his computer, and gave me a verbal warning. End of story.

Luckily, I was the first vendor they checked. Because many of the other vendors he approached gave him a hard time. Arguing w/ a member of law enforcement when you are clearly in violation, is not smart. Especially when he has a large ticket book in one hand. An hour after he had checked me, I saw him again, and he was no longer smiling.

The out of state vendor w/o a lincense getting a ticket doesn't bother me in the least. The size of the ticket ($500) seemed quite high, but I don't write the laws. That's what I think many people forget, the officers don't write the laws, they only enforce them. The ticket for the hedgehog was discussed at the show, and we agreed that we did not remember hedgehogs being on the classIII list. The burden of proof does lie w/ the officer, so if hedgehogs are not on the list (website), then that ticket will be thrown out in court.

Now all that being said, I do not agree that a buyer, whether it be me or a 12 year old kid, should have to ask to see a sellers permit before making a purchase. That is excessive.

Another law that lurks in the state of FL is the records law. There is a law on the books which states that EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL you have for commercial purposes (whether you bought it or produced it) must have a certificate of origin. Think about the ramifications of that one for a minute! I'm ordering special receipt books this week, with a place to mark bought/sold, and then every new animal I bring in will have to have one of those slips placed in a file, and kept until I sell it. Every baby I produce will have to be documented!!!! Think about that one. The only loophole to this law is the commercial purposes part. A 12 year old kid doesn't need the certificate of origin for his PET cornsnake. But the wholesaler you sell all your babies to does! Looking at the law, it seems that a simple receipt will do it, but even that is going to be extremely hard to keep up with.

They have written these laws so that they can get us if they want to. Don't piss them off and make them want to.