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    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

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    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Is USARK present here and using this forum?

WebSlave

WebSlave

It is what it is, but certainly not what it was.
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This forum was set up specifically to give USARK a place to post notices and participate here with members. If that is not taking place, then this forum will be no more than an unnecessary duplicate of the General Legislative Discussions forum.

So is USARK using this forum, or have they abandoned it?
 
I apologize I haven't been around and active. I lost all of my logins and bookmarks for the various forums I frequent amidst a move across the state and a few other major life disruptions that are not necessary to share. I'm back and posting :)

jb
 
USARK said:
I was never made aware of it before today.... I need someone to help me with this... someone willing to post usark alerts as they happen???
Click to expand...

i find it hard to believe you havnt heard of this before today. i know you know ive been all over this forum saying some unpopular things about usark.

im not here to fight but i would like to know what direction usark plans to take the fight, and im sure im not the only one that wants to know (now). even though retics are not listed or are said not to be listed i am still outraged by the ban and im even more outraged that usark has the audacity to claim a 5 out 9 victory, as if anything was won.

now with that said whats the plan.

usark said it would file lawsuits.

will usark keep its word and fight this ban in a court of law?

i know i have said a lot of bad things about usark, but at the same time i have admitted that right now they are the only organization fighting for the industry, even know i dont agree with some of the things they are doing.

i feel usark will take a huge blow because of this, and do to the lake of openness in usarks in decision making processes will add some accessibility to the doubt.

so what is the next step and what are the means to win
 
i have a recommendation for usark. if usark is willing to hear other peoples opinoins. not sure if andrews head has become so big from being full of hes own ideas that he can take in someone elses, but here we go

i recommend removing gary bagnall from usark. he bought his way into the organization with his $100,000 donation and i believe he is looking to protect himself in all this. it is rumored that he is for the big snake ban. i believe his stand on the matter is that big snakes are a pariah in the industry. and i think that a guy that makes a living selling the all important hot rocks and gecko cages would have little to lose if big snakes are ban. like todays news, it will affect him little.

ive said before that i believe that usark is a special interest lobbying group masquerading as an organization representing the whole industry and with someone like gary so heavily involved i think it corroborates my opinion.


a lot of people have told me that attacking usark the way i am is counter productive. but something else that is even more counter productive is blind faith. and blind faith is what people have had in usark. they have supported you without question. even when you tell them you wrote legislation for their states they still didnt question you, but i did.

they believe you when you say model legislation is the way to go to avoid an out right ban. its the way to go to keep your animals and keep the government out of your life. how many people will believe that after today? and i know how you will try to spin it. you will try to tell everyone that this happened because we didnt already have your model legislation in place, and how will people be able to argue that. they cant prove one way or another when it comes to what if's and what mite have been.

usark stated that it will file lawsuits if out right ban are passed. but i dont know if i believe that usark will really fight this that hard, and heres why.

1 you have people like gary bagnall as your largest contributor working on your board and we know hes not pro big snakes.

2 your willingness to compromise. your willing to compromise when it comes to state regulations and your willingness to compromise with the big snake ban that just passed.
usark, you are acting like it was a victory. right heres the link to your facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/USARK-United-States-Association-of-Reptile-Keepers/93475517723

and heres the head line.
USARK SAVES 5 of 9 species of Constrictor! Retics, Boas, and 3 anacondas will NOT be listed!!! FWS had to lie and cheat to get Burms, africans and yellow anaconda!


i really hope usark proves me wrong on this and gos put an fights this.

after today the blind faith people had in usark ,for the most part, is gone.

usark will have to answer to the industry more now then it ever did before.

if usark wants people to really believe in them they will have to stop sending out so many email telling you what reptile show andrew will be parading around at ( all on usark supporters dime) asking for money and free animals to auction off and start sending out informative emails letting people know what the real issues are and what usark is doing about it.

and by the way stop writing model legislation for other peoples states without first consulting the people the legislation will affect.
 
Rodney, we don't need this thread turned into yet another anti USARK thread of yours. The one you started on the BOI is where these questions belong.
I'll ask Andrew or Jonathan if they wish to reply to your comments to do so in that thread, and you to keep your comments confined there in the future.

For USARK's benefit, here is a link to the BOI Info thread
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=295980
 
Clay Davenport said:
Rodney, we don't need this thread turned into yet another anti USARK thread of yours. The one you started on the BOI is where these questions belong.
I'll ask Andrew or Jonathan if they wish to reply to your comments to do so in that thread, and you to keep your comments confined there in the future.

For USARK's benefit, here is a link to the BOI Info thread
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=295980
Click to expand...

webslave needs to be the one telling me that. this is a usark section of the forum they were on here saying they didnt know about it. im assuming they will be back and i had some questions for them. i think we all do and i am very interested to hear what they have to say. and i dont think they will be able to get out it and just ignore it this time, like they have in the past.
 
Rodney, if you don't like them, then don't send them money. Going on a crusade in every single USARK thread does nothing but distract from important legislative issues and irritate people. We all know your position on the issue. We don't need to be constantly reminded of your (minority) viewpoints. People won't take you seriously if you continuously make yourself look bad.

Webslave shouldn't have to give the proverbial slap on the wrist to force you into compliance. Why not a little self-policing? Apparently the Feds think we're incapable of doing just that, and you're proving them right.
 
rodneynboalich said:
webslave needs to be the one telling me that. this is a usark section of the forum they were on here saying they didnt know about it. im assuming they will be back and i had some questions for them. i think we all do and i am very interested to hear what they have to say. and i dont think they will be able to get out it and just ignore it this time, like they have in the past.
Click to expand...


Actually, no, any Mod can tell you this (and just did). You want to ask questions, start another thread, don't invade one that's on a different subject.
 
rodneynboalich said:
webslave needs to be the one telling me that. this is a usark section of the forum they were on here saying they didnt know about it. im assuming they will be back and i had some questions for them. i think we all do and i am very interested to hear what they have to say. and i dont think they will be able to get out it and just ignore it this time, like they have in the past.
Click to expand...

I'm sure Rich will tell you that when he's back on. In the meantime I'm telling you to keep your questions for USARK in the thread you started on the BOI. There's no need to keep dragging the same rants all over the site.
The purpose of this thread was to determine if USARK intended to continue utilizing this forum, not to debate the merits of their actions. Any further posts of that nature here will result in off topic infractions.
That goes for everyone, not just Rodney.
 
Clay Davenport said:
I'm sure Rich will tell you that when he's back on. In the meantime I'm telling you to keep your questions for USARK in the thread you started on the BOI. There's no need to keep dragging the same rants all over the site.
The purpose of this thread was to determine if USARK intended to continue utilizing this forum, not to debate the merits of their actions. Any further posts of that nature here will result in off topic infractions.
That goes for everyone, not just Rodney.
Click to expand...

ok ill move my question to the thread usark started. there are lots of people asking question there and since you or any other mods seem to have a problem with ill do the same. sorry for the mistake
 
once again i apologize but in the other usark thread they started i would like to point out agian that question are being asked and comments are being made and no one is being told not to so. so i hope im afforded the same rights as everyone else.
 
I never post here, but lurk and read rather often. I have been following this issue closely and to be honest, suprised it hasnt happened sooner. I think Rodney's criticisms of USARK are valid. He has basically called out the USARK contingent as ineffective and misguided. Yes, he does have a track record of being anti-USARK, but I am beginning to see why. It seems that everyone involved in this 'industry' is content with burying their head in the sand and not expecting more from the people that have asked for donations, time, and attention while they represent our collective interests.

I think expecting us to have to trek over to the BOI to find pointed rebuttals and/or questions for USARK is tantamount to sequestering those points of view to the proverbial back room. Although I do not agree with Rodney on all points, I think it is very short sighted to keep his scrutiny out of this side of the discussion thread especially for those who might be new to the topic of this all-out ban. Collectively, we need to be aware of all sides of this discussion.

And for the record, its my opinion that as reactionary, uninformed, and stultifyingly misguided as this ban is, the 'industry'(the breeders, the retailers, and the hobbyists)have been unwilling to put the needs of these animals in front of the zeal for money, notoriety, and bragging rights. What the hell did we think was going to happen when all those cute lil' baby pythons we have been breeding thousands and thousands of? What did we think was going to happen by then selling them to any person who could fork out $50-100? People prove themselves as irresponsible with animals on a daily basis. This ban on large snakes is a reaction to that irresponsibility, but it is our own damn fault and will probably extend to include a bunch more.
 
Rodney if you could write more like Jim does you would probably be received better. Both you guys do have valid points.
 
rodneynboalich said:
webslave needs to be the one telling me that. this is a usark section of the forum they were on here saying they didnt know about it. im assuming they will be back and i had some questions for them. i think we all do and i am very interested to hear what they have to say. and i dont think they will be able to get out it and just ignore it this time, like they have in the past.
Click to expand...

OK, I'm telling you "that".

Cease, please.....
 
Neither pro nor con when it comes to USARK .I would like to know what their roles were ? Not some vague ,ambiguous statement for press release .Were they really effective in mitigating the damage initially intended by the HSUS' and other zealots .Lobbyists require funding ,the one does not exist without the other ,but were they really effective ?

Please cite some tangible instances if you could .The reason I ask ,is this is clearly

STEP ONE.......MORE TO FOLLOW .We need an effective means of oppositin ,if there isn't one ,or else .I don't think any of us would like what their(animal rights groups) ideal scenario would look like .
 
I think Marcus has a valid question as to what the USARK's actual involvement and effectiveness has been up to this point. Regardless of their efforts thusfar, the new regulations have been handed down and most likely will not be overturned. To use restriction placed on certain canine breeds as an example: Pit bulls, rottweilers (sp?), dobermans and a few others have been targeted by legislaturers and activist groups as attack dogs and animals prone to biting, thus ownership is now regulated/restricted in many states. Whether these conceptions are valid or not is irrelevant. The issue is that the general public have these attitudes regardless of Pit bull/Rottweiler/etc owner groups' efforts to change the public's opinion. And these are dogs... America's Best Freind.

Reptiles in general and snakes in specific have a waaaay bigger image problem than any dog, if not outright antipathy within the general public. The amount of misinformation is staggering, even within our own ranks. To compound the problem, the large snakes are continually featured on Animal Planet, Discovery, et al. as 'giant killers' in fear-based programs designed to shock and awe veiwers. Also, conservation groups are now on the bandwagon touting these animals as destructive invasive species which (in Florida for example) they can be.

It is doubtful that any group such as USARK will be able to wipe this new ban off the books. There is already the public's conception of snakes (and their owners) to contend with, and that will not change any time soon. It is most likely that many more species will be added to the list of 'banned' animals. It would be beneficial from this point on for USARK and other similar groups to try to stem the bleeding as it were and try to prevent the ban from extending to the smaller snake species. We as hobbyists/owners should try to work with the rule makers toward a system of regulation/permits for ownership before an all-out ban is status quo. It might already be too late however.
 
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