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Vet Barnes - 12 years ago
Continued: At first John Mackey and Wayne Pacelle were the only two people on the board of directors on the website. Per the website today, Wayne Pacelle is on the board of
directors but is not mentioned on the tax return as a officer. Ron Burkle (Supermarket guru, billionaire and a good friend of Bill Clinton,) AKA Yuciapa Companies, bought into this company at the tune of 9.81 million shares in January of 2009 as an active, not passive,
participant. To read all about it http://247wallst.com/2009/01/08/activist-burkle/
This cult of animal rights people is being carefully groomed by Cass Sunstein our regulatory Czaar and Ingrid Newkirk of PeTA along with Wayne Pacelle of HSUS to take over the food supply of the US by strangling it with more regulations through fear and intimidation as did the maffia in the early days. Combine the animal rights movement and organized crime and the result is one of the biggest scams in American corporate history. The animal rights movement has taken over the animal welfare charities also referred to as non profit 501(c)3 corporations. Special interest groups like HSUS has led California into a tail spin when it comes to agriculture. They were once leaders in agriculture and could produce enough food to feed the world, now they have to import food from other countries to feed hungry familes in their own farming communities. So, how can we change this scam? By joining together and not fighting against each other. By supporting each others calls for help and by telling our legislators we don't want any bans on pet ownership neight this ban on pythons or the PUPS bill which is an attempt to ban dog breeding. Join together with the other oganizations talk to everyone you know about what this cult intends to do. Pass our leaflets and visit your representatives and work for those that understand what this cult takeover is attempting to do to our country and our rights. Let every senator and congressional representative know that you will not tolerate this taking our our rights to eat what we want, to fish, to hunt, to raise our pets, to own any animal we want.
Vet Barnes - 12 years ago
Folks, this isn't really about snakes but about all animals. The animals rights groups HSUS , PeTA, THLN, and now the ASPCA have all been taken over by animal rights extremists except for PeTA which has always been AR. We have in our present government administration and influx of animal rights people who have been pouring money into politicians pockets. The USDA recently hired a former HSUS employee and she has gone after rabbit breeders. The helm of this movement is Cass Sunstein hired by President Obama to run the regulatory agency. He is an avowed published animal rights cult member who is behind the ban on children under 18 working with animals on farms that was put out by the USDA. These groups want to ban all use of animals. The PUPS bill in congress is the first step on controlling what you do with your dog. This bill claims you are a volume breeder with only one intact female dog in your possession. This bill also declares that anything you sell over the internet for profit is under their control. It also lists 4 month old puppies as of breeding age to be counted in the intact female dog catagory. Instead of pitting yourself againsts dogs and cats or other pets know that all pets are under attack by this cult. They do not want you to eat any meat. The purpose of a cult is mind control and now they are after school kids to bring about the prejudice they need toward controlling the public. Without active VB12 found only in meat the brain eventually will become overly emotional and irrational. This group wants money and power to do as they please with our lives. Their goal is to end all use of animals. Know that they have also been attacking farmers, ranchers, hunters and angulars. They attack any industry that uses meat for fish or animals in any manner. They have managed to reduce the number of medical studies that require animal subjects by lying to the federal agencies. They have managed to reduce your rights to hunt and fish by getting hired by the fish and game agencies. This cult has also gotten into the USDA. Whole Foods coupled with HSUS is trying to control what the public buys by setting up an external inspection agency and advertising their food as the only humane food source. They want to put all others out of business. Global Animal Partnership (GAP)(AKA Animal Compassion Foundation) was formed by Whole Foods Market CEO and founder John Mackey. Their website states that they were formed in 2008 http://www.globalanimalpartnership.org/ Per Whole Foods Market website: They require farmers to abide by Global Animal Partnership's 5 step process to sell their products to Whole
Foods. These inspections are being run by third party companies. IMI Global Inc. reveals this information:"IMI Global President Leann Saunders Elected Secretary-Treasurer of U.S.
Meat Export Federation ... IMI Global, Inc. ... CO 80104 phone: 866-395-5883" http://www.imiglobal.com/pressreleases/imiLeannBoard.pdf As of Dec. 5th 2011, Leann Saunders is now paid by none other than "the United States Department of Agriculture and a variety of other livestock and commodity organizations." The third company listed as independent auditor is Steritech http://www.steritech.com/ Their "about us page" reads: "The Steritech Group, Inc. is the leading provider of specialized brand protection services in North America. If you check into Global Animal Partnership's website further, it is geared toward HSUS Ohio meat fight. http://www.globalanimalpartnership.org/for-retailers/consumer-support-for-animal-welfare/
This company formed by Whole Foods CEO founder John Mackey and Wayne Pacelle Director of HSUS is an attempt to control our foods supplies. The 2006 tax return shows contributions
totaling $666,766.00 with Whole Foods Market donating $666,766.00. The
majority of funds to Global Animal Partnership is still from Whole Foods
Market. At first John Mackey and Wayne Pacelle were the only two people on the board of directors on the website. Per
Charles S. - 12 years ago
How much more will this remove from the USA economy. Between animal rights, EPA and Fish and Wildlife they will help to further bankrupt America.
Karen - 12 years ago
Though I don't own reptiles or find them particularly interesting the real point here is that we have a Constitution that protects individual rights one of them being property. As much as the "animal rights" (ironically animals don't have Constitutional rights) zealots would like you to believe animals are property.
I will not support another piece of colorable law. Period.
Cheech Marin - 12 years ago
Yo Gus, Numero doesn't have a b you idiot.
Myke Clarkson - 12 years ago
1st off Robby Blaze is just some kid in a band that is really no good at all. Click the link, then click mute. HA HA HA
2nd off and more importantly:
A) THE MOST INVASIVE PET SPECIES IN THE WORLD IS THE HOUSE CAT, IF YOU BAN PYTHONS BAN HOUSE CATS FIRST. HOUSE CATS HAVE CAUSED EXTINCTIONS AROUND THE GLOBE AND THE RECKLESS KEEPING OF THESE ANIMALS IN A FREE RANGE TYPE STYLE IS MORE DAMAGING THAN PYTHONS COULD EVER BE.
B) THERE ARE 2 MILLION HORSES AND 2 MILLION SNAKES IN CAPTIVITY BASED ON AZMA NUMBERS. PER THE CDC THERE ARE 430 HORSE RELATED DEATHS AND 0.4 PET SNAKE RELATED DEATHS IN AMERICA EACH YEAR.
THIS MEANS THAT PER ANIMAL HORSES ARE 1000% TIMES MORE DANGEROUS THAN SNAKES AS PETS...
--Myke
(not a redneck, California born and raised, educated TV producer. So eat it.)
Hersheysnake - 12 years ago
Robby Blaze (Is that your real name?)
Justin Brown
gethefax (practice what you preach!)
Eric
Matt Ellerbeck (what a joke!)
dont be stupid! (again, practice what you preach!)
Gus Brentfro ( what an idiot!)
Bob Kent
Edward the 5th (the 5th what??)
I think you know why your names are on this list!
Morelia4thebin - 12 years ago
Yes, pet retics and burms have killed people. Fact. At least put a license on them. Some of the educated breeders sell these killing machines to trailor park hobos just to line there pockets full of dollars. My friends Billy goat was ate by some loonies pet reticulated python. He has never been the same since.
Morelia4life - 12 years ago
All you people that say ban pythons are clearly ignorant. Also, all of you that say pythons are eating people and all this other bullshit are clearly ignorant. If the government bans pythons, that would ruin a lot of businesses and a lot of people's lives. There are maybe a handful of deaths every couple of years from large constrictors killing people but they don't eat them.
The Burmese Pythons in the Everglades isn't just because of people. Have none of you ignorant people ever heard of Hurricanes in the state of Florida? That is right, Hurricanes can also come through and destroy zoos, breeding facilities, and homes ALL OF WHICH CONTAIN BURMESE PYTHONS. It is clear that some of you have no educational background and you are probably just Bible thumpers that believe snakes are evil because the Bible says so.
Should we also ban cats, dogs, horses, rats, parrots and every other animal that may inflict damage to us or hurt the ecosystem? Most of the people in the reptile industry are hard working people that love reptiles and we have had them for years and years. I am 23 and I have been keeping reptiles since I was 6 years old. They are a part of my life and I wouldn't know what to do without them. So all of you that whine about banning reptiles need to get a life and go educate yourselves before opening up your mouth to a situation in which you know nothing about.
Edward the 5th - 12 years ago
I hereby agree with the banning of all large pythons and ball pythons in the USA. Man eaters, the lot of them!
Bob Kent - 12 years ago
Yep. Sure should.
Gus Brentfro - 12 years ago
Yes they should. Numbero one:- some of them are big enough to eat a man and have killed a few people. So have horses and dinosaurs you may say. Yes, but they aren't on this poll. So blow that up your ass.
Numbero two:- The industry behind the breeders of some of these animals are douch bags, with hacking, editors, hollywood gays behind them. They think nothing of ruining lives for the sake of there business.
Numbero 3:- Many many breeders are actually breeding designer morphs with known defects for big money.
Numbero 4:- I love cake and peas.
phil - 12 years ago
Unfortunately it's the same old story ,when people don't understand something they are quick to condem,and then it's the same old outcry,as a hobist your'e the direct cause of all the problems connected to the loss of the rainforest ,and you should be ashamed of your self.If they just took a couple of hours to look around they would come to relize a great number of exotics are bred by the hobbist reducing the stress on wild populations. If countries would look at the export of wildlife as a renewable resource and set up breeding facilities for the purpose of export to the pet trade we may have to pay a little more but in the long run these exports would be contributing to the ecomomy of that country ,while suppling a healthier animal to the pet trade.
Char - 12 years ago
Non elected federal agencies have way too much power and should not be allowed to make this an issue that they control. I believe it is completely unconstitutional! This should be ONLY a state and local decision state by state. The more you are aware of your local politics the less likely idiot "regulations" can be made. And I don't care what animal group you are talking about, WE the people run this country not the non federally appointed bureaucracies such US Fish and Wildlife! I am really sick of big government trying to tell us how to run our lives in every aspect. As a reptile person, I especially take issue with the feds in particular---get out of my backyard!!! But even at the state and local level it can be frustrating. All animals are subject to the whim of the caretaker. As a former reptile store I can assure you I made it my BUSINESS on educating folks on the pros and cons of keeping reptiles that can be legally purchased in my state. That's where it starts--responsible care taking AND commitment. In the meantime stay active with USARK--it's the best at pulling all the "herptile" people together---keep up the good work!!!
Silence Dogood - 12 years ago
I have been keeping and propagating various species
of species of reptiles for many years . It has become a major part
Of my income but I am not here to cry about potentially taking a part of income away I am here because this is the United States of America, and as citizens of the US we have certain rights. I do know that pet keeping is not protected in the constitution but it should not have to be. As Americans we should be proud of the fact that your neighbor is aloud to keep a python or any other animals her or wishes ( with right knowledge and resources). Banning python s will fix any of our problems it will not undo what has been done and nothing beneficial will come out of it. But if we promote education and tolerance maybe we can turn some of things that were done around and our children will have the same liberties as we do.
If there is anyone out there that thinks that python molars Bivittatus is cause severe harm to Everglades national park please look a the new evidence. Since hurricane Andrew when a large snake breeding facility that was owned by the government was destroyed ( which 90 percent of these animals can be genetically traced back to) the turtle and American crocodile population have jumped. Ten years agoe American crocodile populations were less than three hundred and this morning I read an article that said population were at 17,000 and climbing. They think this maybe because with the introduction of the snake a niche may have been filled that has been missing since the mid 1900s. In the sixties and seventies bobcats, coyote and panther population were decimated and with a lack of mesopredators animals like raccoons and opossums were aloud to flourish unchecked. ( raccoons and opossums eat eggs).
So please do your research before you speak and allow the little right we still have stay in tacked!
Sincerely
Silence Dogood
Kris - 12 years ago
I have seen CORN SNAKES more aggressive than many pythons. It IS STUPID to say that pythons should be banned because of all the idiots who dump them or allow them to escape from their cages.
Kris - 12 years ago
It would be stupid to ban pythons. I love snakes and always will...Ball Pythons are one of the species I love. The government has too much power already and should NOT get the power to enact ANY MORE control. They have way too much control!!
I will NEVER accept a ban on pythons. EVER.
The people who cause all the problems have either no idea of proper care and security for pythons, or they have no wish to care for them properly. MOST snake owners take the proper steps to ensure their snakes' safety as well as other PEOPLE'S safety. While I don't like large snakes, I DON'T feel that a python ban is a good decision. People don't need MORE regulations, and neither do the snakes.
George - 12 years ago
The problem is irresponsible people acquiring exotics of ANY species when they are babies, SMALL, cute, easy. Then their needs change, they grow up and need larger enclosures and cages, more food, they need veterinary care. They become sexually mature and aggressive, they bite and then people are eager to "get rid" of them. They blame the animal, not themselves for failing to properly research. They want the animal to "be free", so they dump it in the everglades thinking it's going to have a wonderful life when in fact most of these pet animals don't know how to find food, fresh water or shelter and meet a terrible fate, or in the case of reptiles, wreak havoc on our native species, both animal and plant. We have TOO much of a sense of entitlement without responsibility, and this is what needs to be controlled by voting in favor of the ban. It's cruel to confine a wild animal and there are too many sweet domestic animals who desperately need loving homes.
Curt Krebs - 12 years ago
Most of the pythons loose in S. Florida escaped from a Miami Zoo when huricane Andrew came through and of course survived. Almost any other locality in the U.S. would have been fatal for the snakes.
Keeping that in mind why would you put a ban all over the United States ? The media always spread lies to sell themselves and keep animal rights movements alive. I hope people would use common sense thats not that common anymore but thats just wishful thinking.
Curt
walter ryan - 12 years ago
I think the government should be focusing on finding people jobs and hunger rather than snakes come on pull your head out of your ass
gary - 12 years ago
I totlay agree with kris.people want to ban these animals cause they are afraid of them and have no knowledge of them.there are other animals that cause way more injuries and fatalities every year than reptiles like dogs.why not ban those animals? Cause they don't have scales.
Alejandro Garriga - 12 years ago
Banning Burmese in Florida makes no sense. We already have the ROC regulations that control who does and doesn't poses one. If we take the approach to banning imports that could cause damage then let's ban rats and hamsters from pet stores. No pig farms. Visit the Everglades sometime and be amazed by the thousands of non native pigs destroying the environment. I don't see Senator Nelson putting them on the Lacey act. I don't see this parade on large constrictors attacking the snake skin trade. I don't see any of this directed at any group with financial backing and a united stand. Oh, lets not forget dog and cat ownership since they do get loose and do create havoc on the environment. Ferral cats are a larger problem then feral Burmese regardless where either is kept.
Regulation and responsible educated ownership is the best path for all. Besides, if the animal rights group win the Burmese battle based on that arguement then what's to stop them from using that on all pets.
WK - 12 years ago
The proposed ban makes no sense:
* It does not help removing released pythons in the everglades the slightest. A ban on keeping large constrictors in Florida has already been enacted and addresses future problems in this state. Outside Florida, none of these constrictors are at risk of becoming invasive (unsuitable climate and habitat).
Feral cats are a MUCH larger threat to the environment, populating the entire US and consuming native birds & rodents everywhere.
* Large constrictors don't pose a risk to the public: There are NO death in the US attributed to large constrictors except owners or keepers themselves. Even the latter constitute are rare occurance (60 people dies by a dog for every 1 person dying per constrictor!), ie. this is ONLY an occupational risk (unlike eg. dogs, which actually tend to kill member of the public).
The true solution is the education of the public: Don't get a large constrictor if you (1) aren't truly interested and ready to care for them, (2) have the necessary expercience. It's basically the same as for any other pet, understand what you get and don' just try out. Meanwhile all vendors and websites I know have warnings to potential customers, which is a big step forward.
Lacey - 12 years ago
hahaha no Robby is a punk all he ever talks about is being in a punk rock band he wants to call everyone a redneck hes just proving himself to be a horrible judgmental punk. ^Brian Gundy! You are one of my idols! haha Such an amazing person :)
sipho - 12 years ago
haha you guys "robby" is a troll...
alyy - 12 years ago
Wow, ROBBY, none of my reptiles are "trophy pets". Oh, and I'm not a "redneck", none of my family have ever been "redneck", and never will be "redneck". I love my reptiles and snakes just as much as I love my cat. All of my animals are captive bred, and if you don't know what this means, it means that they have been bred here, from animals that were NOT caught in the wild. Captive breeding has saved species in the past, and takes off a lot of the pressure from wild caught populations.I do not exploit my animals in any way, nor do I support the inhumane importation of wild caught animals.
You sound like a HSUS supporter...not have pets or any animals in our lives? That's pathetic. My pets have gotten me through tough times, and i provide them with an appropriately temperature regulated place to live, an ample supply of food on a regular basis, and a safe place free of predators. Oh yeah, and VET CARE. Which none of these things they get in the wild. SO....they are not being exploited.
I would never give up my beloved pets if they were banned. I don't care what the consequences would be, not one of my babies is dangerous to humans in any way, and I would never set them "free". Ever. They would have to be forcibly removed, just like i would fight it if they tried to take my cat away.
As to the nature of these bannings, lets be honest. They tried to put all "constrictors" on the list. I'm sorry but my 1 ft Sand Boas are "constrictor" snakes...there is NO WAY they could harm or kill ANYONE, not even a brand new, newborn child. Heck, my males cant even kill a n adult mouse! No chance for hurting a human. These bans are just ridiculous. I can understand getting a permit for some species, but an outright ban? That's wrong. Where would it stop? If it were up to you, or HSUS, or PETA...it wouldnt. It would ban all animals eventually. Just because a few people choose not to have pets? Make your choice and leave the rest of us the hell alone.
I dont believe in the dog ban list, because although some dog breeds are large enough to kill and injure humans...why would they do it in the first place? Lets take a look in the mirror for the answer to that one...(us, if you missed it...)
I do not currently own any of the "nine" that are commonly targeted for snake bans, but i'd love to have a BCC (boa constrictor) in the future. In fact I plan on fostering these lovely snakes in the future. I'd hate to see them banned.
EricWI - 12 years ago
Donna- If such measures you speak of are supported by credible, proven science, I would agree...
bill price - 12 years ago
dogs attack and kill more people than any snakes. get off the reptiles and worry about other issues.
Donna - 12 years ago
The reptile nation shouldn't be divided on issues like keeping invasive species out of areas where they can survive and breed. South Florida's badly damaged ecosystem is filled with non-native animals because Florida chose to allow this happen. I'm just saying that they shouldn't have done that in the first place. Florida shouldn't have been allowed to become a hub for shipments of tropical exotics.
If you want to keep entire warehouses full of uromastix in Florida, that's not a problem, but they SHOULD prohibit the importation of anything from a tropical or subtropical area, because the danger of accident or natural disaster releasing the animals has already been proven. Just as Texas may not want to permit bearded dragons, leopard geckos, or uromastix, but should have no problem allowing Burmese pythons. I realize saying so may not make me popular, but you know I'm right that desert species pose a risk there.
We do want to fight for our rights to keep these animals, but we should also be reasonable, and not fight legislation when we KNOW that it's in the best interests of the environment. Otherwise, we lose credibility. Do you care about the native wildlife in the Everglades or in Texas? I do, and I don't want to see them overrun by non-natives.
I don't think the reptile nation should fight the restrictions on keeping tropical animals in Florida. They SHOULD fight anyone attempting to add the animals to the Lacey Act, or ban them across the US, in areas where they can do no harm. By educating the public and each other, we can improve the reptile nation itself. It's part of being responsible keepers, and it will definitely help us keep the right to own these animals.
Tony - 12 years ago
Sorry to burst your bulle but it has been genetically proven that ALL the Burmese Pythons found in the wild are from the same genetic gene pool, and not from people letting go in the everglades. There have been burmes in the everglades as far back as the 1960's. This whole issue is nothing more then Government properganda, just like they usesd to irradicate the communist's . IF WE THE PEOPLE continue to allow the government to run rampant over our GOD given rights , we will find ouselves carring papers and calling each other commrad.
boots - 12 years ago
I wrote Nancy Polosi one time about gun control and she wrote me back and said she was for gun control because she knew someone who shot themself in the head. I sure am glad she did not know someone who drove a car off a cliff, or who jumped off a bridge. We would all still be getting round on horses, and we would have to take a ferry anytime we crossed water to get to the other side. Government needs to take its butt out of everyone's business. It is time for the nanny state to end. Protect us from our enemies which is not pythons and boas.
dont be stupid! - 12 years ago
Obviously, when a person says a survey done by the usgs is bogus, then you have proof that what you say is the truth right, or are we just supposed to take your word for it?
Apparently people will say anything to justify their position.
Do you really believe that two wrongs also make a right?
Don Loughlin - 12 years ago
What exactly is going to come out of a ban if it does get passed. i dont know about any other herpers but i know i wont be getting rid of my herps that ive had for years just because someone outside my home said i cant have them. and to whoever said before that people owning snakes would just let them go if they get banned, if thats the case they didnt belong owning them to begin with. but i can see the point. alot of people would just "toss" them. wouldnt that just make the problem worse? i read in the paper and see on the news about someone being attacked by pitbulls. i also own one of those. one of the best dogs i have ever seen. wonder if anyone knows that the pitbull use to be the face of the united states marine corps? the point i am trying to make for the completely uneducated is that it isnt the animal it is the owner and the manner in which it is cared for. people want to get rid of their snakes and throw them in the woods, just give me a call first and ill take them off your hands. they deserve better keepers than you. and to anyone who wants to take my "dangerous" reptiles away from me. you are more then welcome to try!
Garriga - 12 years ago
The number one and only factor that is threatening the Everglades or any other environment is big business. Perhaps we should ban sugar cane and pig farms. I doubt Senator Nelson would be up for that. We should also ban government grants to those that make a living of studying a problem. Aren't there those involved with an agenda to ban pythons awaiting grants to allow them to study the alleged problem? I doubt those grants would be available if there wasn't a problem. Guessing it's profitable to create problems.
As for the comment that this is a Florida problem and should be directed to only banning them in Florida. Now is not the time to segregate the Reptile Nation by focusing the problem in one localized option just because it doesn't affect you. Any banning based on lies and money driven agendas should be attacked as one united stand against those who which to impose their beliefs on others for no good reason but because they think they should.
As for all animals shouldn't be in homes or shelves then perhaps we humans shouldn't either. If you don't agree with pet ownership then don't have pets but don't tell me I can't either or call me a redneck without first getting to know me.
Why is there not a vote to prosecute those who have intentionally lied about the supposed facts they have created to apply large constrictors to the Lacey Act? How is it possible that they continue to make noise for their own personal agendas and continue to attempt to circumvent due process in their never ending plight to satisfy their personal prejuidice or financial gains?
This venue taken by our politicians and orchestrated by special interest groups and scientist seeking personal income has destroyed my belief in our government and judicial system. Apparently those with money can do what ever they please.
Jessica Collins - 12 years ago
Pythons are wonderful animals an make wonderful pets. To all that said yes, just because they aren't cute in your definition doesn't mean they deserve all of the bad press. Ignorance is the killer here. Assuming that every person that owns pythons are only doing it for "sick entertainment" or as a "trophy" is as ignorant as assuming that just because you can speak makes you intelligent. Yes there are irresponsible people out there, yes abuse happens, but it certainly is not the majority. If the govornment wants to regulate the python trade then so be it. I'll do whatever it takes to own my beloved pets. What the gov't is trying to do is get rid of the trade completely because they can't tax the hell out of it and they are trying to please all of the fearful uneducated populace. There are loads of facts on here already posted about invasive pythons. Go learn the facts for yourself on these animals and then make an educated decision stop letting bad news govern your thoughts.
wldrguy - 12 years ago
let us herpers have our snakes. some of us take classes or have takin classes to own these animals. my snkes are held all the time even by the children in this house & they love it as well. so this ban is inexcusable by the the people who go great lengths to own them.
Lacey - 12 years ago
I agree with Shannon. I love every one of my snakes no matter what. Most people love these snakes, I love my snakes more than any other pet I have ever had except for my first dog. I have always loved them and always will. I never got rid of them for biting me. I have bitten on the lip nose wrist and countless times on my hands but it's what I get for rescuing the abandon neglected snakes. They all come out of it and they always make great great pets. Honestly when a person makes me mad I go to my snakes to handle them and it comforts me beyond any other level. My snakes are just like my children I love them I care for them and I would do anything for them. They just don't talk back haha. So please for everyone voting yes your argument is invalid if you have never owned or loved a snake.
Shannon - 12 years ago
I just can't understand why there is so much fear surrounding these wonderful animals. These proposed bans are nothing more than over-the-top reactions to an unfortunate prejudice ("preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience") against reptiles in general. It always AMAZES me that snakes are grouped with large cats, bears, and wolves. How are these even on the same level?
As far as snakes as pets go, I currently own seven animals, and my boa is just as much a part of my family as my dog and cat are. I interact with her daily, and I would do anything to keep her healthy. She is not some 'trophy pet' that I keep to feel better about myself. She is a wonderful companion. Yes, she is different than a cat or a dog, but I think I can speak for every snake owner here when I say that when we interact with our reptiles, there is a great level of care and affection we feel towards them.
If you don't want to keep snakes, then by all means don't keep them. No one is forcing you to own these animals. But do not strip these rights away from those of us who responsibly care for and interact with these fantastic creatures on a daily basis.
lacey - 12 years ago
Yesterday bobby blaze told me I dont' love my snakes. He said you only love owning them. I say that's a load of crap. You know why the government wants to control everything? Because they want the money, they want to jump in and get money for what people are making. Just like the drugs, they are controlling the medicinal drugs so they are the ones making money off of it. No matter what if they ban the trade on snakes people are going to do it either way so honestly what would a ban do??? NOTHING. That doesn't do anything for the burmese pythons that are already out in the everglades breeding and producing more. Guess what else? There are ball pythons, reticulated pythons, spotted pythons, children pythons, and more that aren't harming anything. So why take away all of them based on one specie of snake thats in one part of the country? Do you people see how little your votes on yes are going to mean? No matter what one moron says there will always be us "rednecks" sticking together and doing what we love. No one in this country will make me get rid of my pets. I'll be put in prison before someone takes part of my family away. I will continue to teach at the high school and to young kids about them. I will continue to criticize Animal Planet for pushing fear of snakes into many people. I will continue to adopt and rescue the snakes. And I will continue to LOVE THEM and devout everything towards them.
patrick - 12 years ago
I have been keeping snakes my whole life and I have been trained by professional zookeepers at jungle cat world in orono canada. I have boas and pythons and other kinds of snakes and worked with huge reptiles like crocodiles and huge monitors and pythons. Banning thies amazing animals would solve nothing. All that would happen is a angry country and a ton of people wth no jobs.
Kassandra Royer - 12 years ago
Even the largest python and boa species pose very little danger to their human keepers. Yes, some of them have "gotten loose" into the everglades and may or may not be affecting the environment. I can tell you what invasive species definitely is-without a shadow of a doubt-negatively affecting the everglades: Humans. The whole premise of large snake species threatening the ecosystem is simply ludicrous, especially when you consider that over HALF of the plants and a full 25% of the animal species (mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish) are EXOTIC (non-native) species.
Danny Bristow - 12 years ago
Maybe we should ban ignorant people, such as Senator Bill Nelson, from serving in congress.
Why doesn't he and the rest of the congressional membership channel this blatant misuse of energy towards doing something honorable and good for the tax payers, i.e. pay back the more
than one trillion dollars that they ripped off from the Social Security Trust Fund !!! Oh I'm
sorry, my bad; that would surely involve some measure of honesty and integrity and these
virtues are seriously lacking in this senator and most of the congress.
William Mullen - 12 years ago
Making these creatures illegal will not protect them, or the southern American enviornment. All creatures great and small are under attack for human encrochment on every continent. All wild animals will be threatened with instinction in the next 30 years without help from humans that care. Private reptile keepers ability to keep and care for theses creatures will help insure that they will not go extinct. If our consern is with our enviornment we need to better regulate indutrial pollution caused by sugar plantations and other distructive industries. Snakes are not a problem. Dogs and horses kill far more people each year than large constrictors. Do not pass regulations that ban large constrictors.
Donna - 12 years ago
Matt,
First, that is demonstrably not true. It's quite silly to think that the pet trade is a worse threat to conservation than habitat loss.
Habitat loss is the worst threat ALL species face in the world, today.
While the trade in wild caught reptiles is horrible, the Lacey Act is NOT a tool that is meant to be used to protect species in foreign countries. The laws in those countries, and CITES are in place to do that. If they are not doing their jobs, it is absurd to think that the loss of the US market is going to make a huge dent in the problem. The animals will simply go to China, instead, where they may stand even less of a chance than they do here.
Knowledge of proper reptile care has steadily increased, and the expectations of customers are increasing with it. More than 50% of the reptiles sold now are captive bred here in the US, not wild caught imports.
This is true of pythons and boas as well. While only the importers would cry if importation of these snakes was banned, barring inter-state transport is distinctly NOT in the animals' best interests.
The trade is captive bred reptiles is not significantly different now from the trade in captive produced fish or small mammals, or birds.
The Lacey Act is meant to protect the environment of the US and the resources of the US. These snakes DO NOT pose a threat to the US environment, and the Lacey Act, which is meant to be added to through a very specific process, should NOT be hijacked for any political agenda.
There is already a method for adding species to the Lacey Act. This bill seeks to circumvent the rules, because the people who promote it KNOW that these animals do NOT qualify for addition to the Lacey Act, and never will.
There are a number of species that only exist today because they were established in captivity and captive-bred by dedicated reptile lovers. There are a number of species that are struggling against insurmountable odds in their native habitat, but are present in hundreds of captive reptile collections, and are thriving in captivity.
The Hogg Island boa is a good example of what I'm talking about. This subspecies of boa (a diminutive form that gets only 6 feet when fully grown) is extinct on its native island, due largely to habitat loss. They are widely captive bred and available readily to pet owners. We saved them from extinction. If their loss was hastened by over collection, the absence of collection would not have saved them--but we did.
I am a ball python breeder. I make sure that owners know what is needed to care for a ball python properly, and that they have it ready before the animal comes to them. These are small, harmless, docile pets, and they are on the CITES list due to their commercial value, not because their numbers in the wild are suffering. They are doing fine in the wild, and they're doing exceptionally well in captivity.
Like several other reptile species, the ball python is undergoing the process of domestication. Breeding for special colors, patterns, and temperament accomplishes this. The corn snake and leopard gecko are arguably already domesticated animals.
This law would not only set a terrible precedent for adding anything to the Lacey Act without proper review, it would destroy small businesses like mine. It would destroy my financial future and my childrens' legacy. What would happen to my snakes? Most of them are sold to people in other States, right now. I could not feed them if I could not sell the offspring each year.
I urge everyone to vote no on this pointless, deceptive, and damaging proposal.
It's ridiculous to blame pet owners for the problems in the Everglades. Most pet owners are responsible. Cats are doing more damage in the Everglades than the pythons are. Shall you add those to the Lacey Act? People let their cats outside all the time, and they live all of the US. They kill millions of native animals every year. Pythons can't survive in
Winston Pennington - 12 years ago
Look at the stray dog population. Then look at the ons that injur people and other pets. Then look at the ones rabbid and attack... Out ways snakes by far
Patience - 12 years ago
Hell to the no. These are simple animals that make enjoyable pets, and they represent the biggest portion of the reptile keeping industry. Banning the trade of these animals would be crippling to American businesses and homes, not to mention all of us who are enthusiastic about exotics and our God given freedom to keep them if we have the time, the money, the space, the knowledge, and the passion to do it.
The facts are that these large snakes are cold blooded animals, most if not all of them need to be in a warm invironment to survive in the wild. Florida seems to be the only place in the US where these snakes could possibly survive in the wild. If that is true why is our governement trying to ban the trade of these snakes through out the US.
If the issue is in Florida then lets direct the conversation toward banning the shippment of these snakes into Florida. There is no scientific eveidence that backs up the idea that these snakes could survive outside of Florida.
There is no logic in the thought of banning the trade of these snakes in the US.
Brian Gundy / For Goodness Snakes
Stephanie Stowers - 12 years ago
I do not believe that pythons should be banned. This is the governments' way to control something instead of regulating it. This is the most ludicrous idea they have had.
Shannon - 12 years ago
To those who think that those of us who own large snakes do it for a "trophy pet".
I own a boa constrictor. I LOVE her. I dedicate my time to making sure she can live the best life possible, and she is gentle and healthy for it. She has an ultimate life of luxury. She lives in a world free of the problems she would face in the wild. She has her food handed to her on a plate. It's dead so there is no fear of it attacking her in self-defense. It's fresh, and bred to be a feeder, free of diseases that she might encounter if she ate a sick animal in the wild. She is free of parasites, both internal and external. She always has good temperatures and humidity levels. She has never had to deal with a predator. Anytime she has ever had a medical issue, she has received immediate vet care. There is not a scratch, burn, or scar on her body. This is what responsible pet ownership is. This is how MOST reptile keepers are. And yes, I DO plan on moving up to a reticulated python in time. I have done the research, I've looked into reputable breeders, and I am prepared for the time commitment these animals require. I am just waiting until I am in a living situation that can accommodate a larger reptile.
Sure, there are those who keep their pets in terrible condition, or release them into the wild when they get to be too much to handle. But this is true of any pet. Just look at your local animal shelter, and you will find so many pets who were just turned into the street because their owners didn't or couldn't care for them any longer. And as far as snakes being a threat? Honestly, you hear more reports of dog attacks than snake attacks. What's more, dogs are a threat to the general public, biting those that are not their owners. Snake attacks typically just happen to the owner in their own home. Walking down the street, you should be MORE afraid of a dog coming up and biting you than a python.
I won't even get deep into the issue of snakes posing a threat to the environment. Yes, they are a huge issue in warmer places such as southern florida. Is that due to poor ownership? There is no denying it. But, anyone who thinks a python (or any of the snakes on the list of reptiles facing bans) can survive anywhere else in the continental united states seriously needs to take five minutes to do a little research. These snakes require very specific husbandry, and there is no way they would be able to live through the cold.
So why is it that people push so hard for a ban on snakes? Because snakes are different. Most people cannot connect with them as they would to a small furry animal. But that is because they won't give them the chance. When I interact with my reptiles, it is always a heartwarming experience. There is a depth and a beauty to them that most people overlook. They are truly magnificent creatures, but people do not give them a chance. Most people I have met who are in favor of bans have never actually interacted with a snake. How is this fair judgement? How can we make a call on something if we refuse to understand it? All I ask is that people give snakes a chance. Statistically, they are one of the safer pets to own, but the media plays up the few incidents that do happen, and ignores the thousands of responsible owners out there who are trying to educate the public. Give them their chance. It isn't right to strip these animals away from responsible owners who cherish and respect these wonderful animals any more than it is right to take away a dog for similar reasons.
Gavin. - 12 years ago
bottom line, if you do not have any experience with herps, your vote should not count.
j. Michael Miller - 12 years ago
Continued...
There was no evidence that the Python was "squeezing" or trying to harm the child. The real harm was the idiots the poor child had for parents. But now we're living with the hype this incident generated for legislation built on misleading facts. This is typical, and such tactics are repeated over and over.
Senator Nelson, South Florida Water Management, and other special interest who have "financial" dogs in this fight, that is paid for by TAXPAYER funds (us), is what is going on. Has NOTHING to do with Python threats. That is a ploy. A sham. A lie. Unfortunately, the Liberal Media supports this, without any real investigation, and we are where we are today because of it. "If it bleeds it leads." Anything to demonize and sensationalize an animal that PBS Nature goes out of their way to use extremely LOW angle camera shots, on STAGED scenes with a passive (captive) Pythons, while schools of people drive by in the background -- to imply an "invasion."
The REAL ISSUE we must all deal with, besides the immediate Vote against any Python banning legislation, is the IMPLICATIONS it has for EVERYTHING we all hold dear. Are we going to continue to let these life time politicians throw a LABEL on something we have lived with, cared for and built businesses around, so that special interest corporations who FUND these politician's elections can have their way? Or are we going to get PISSED and do something about it. And I am not talking about Pythons. This is tip of the iceberg. The encroaching fingers of political thieves are dipping into every aspect of our lives. Just voting them out isn't good enough. They need to be accountable, in dollars and cents, for the financial harm they are doing to our industry and our lives.
Time to take the offensive, and organize a class action suit. Support USARK with your time, and your funds. There's more at stake than Pythons. --j. Michael Miller
j. Michael Miller - 12 years ago
I live in Florida, having been here for nearly 20 years; grew up in the middle of corn country, Illinois, where I first was introduced to these amazing animals in 1985, one of which I still have, now 26 years old. I have several others ranging from a little over a year to 22 years. NONE, including my oldest, is over 11 feet long; and he's only 58 healthy pounds.
Although I am not a breeder, I have cared for, instructed, exhibited and made a science of understanding them on an intimate, uncaged (but controlled environment). They are intelligent, passive, docile, trusting (big mistake) and affectionate, who know and bond with their handlers that show the same considerations in return. Each have their own unique personality. Yes, I am writing a book on this subject, "Boids In America." But its more important links are to human nature -- and how we see all animals in a very destructive, corrupt and prejudicial way that not only hurts our environment, but ourselves.
What has happened with legislation in Florida is typical of the political hypocrisy and power grabbing by special interest we're all too familiar with, that have spawned the revolts all over the world, not just America, which have been dubbed a variety of things; from sit-ins to "movements." But it's just emblematic of the civil rights we've all surrendered in the last 20 years to corporate intrusions of our lives, our privacy and our rights.
I don't have words (that I can use here) for my feelings of the out-of-context suppositions, drawn by supposedly educated animal professionals at the various government and educational institutions that have came up with these B.S. (not bachelor of science) conclusions about how many Pythons are in the Everglades, and the threats they pose to native species, humans and so on. They've taken the most ridiculous hypothesis and extrapolated them into "could", "can", "might", "possibly", "potentially", and so forth to now draft legislation we're all too familiar with, from Florida's FWC crap, to the Federal Government's so called scientific study, that was tainted from the beginning.
Even the poor child that died from allegedly being strangled by an Albino Burm' was distorted and inaccurate. THAT incident was the catalyst that started all the crazy and unenforceable restrictions we now have in Florida, that serves for a precedent to Federal drafted proposals. Fact of the matter is, the infant "suffocated" (officially) from the likely warmth the animal was getting by laying over her, next to her, and so on. There was no evidence that the Python was not "squeezing" or trying to harm the child. The real harm was the idiots the poor child had for parents. But now we're living with the hype this incident generated for legislation built on misleading facts. This is typical, and such tactics are repeated over and over.
Senator Nelson, South Florida Water Management, and other special interest who have "financial" dogs in this fight, that is paid for by TAXPAYER funds (us), is what is going on. Has NOTHING to do with Python threats. That is a ploy. A sham. A lie. Unfortunately, the Liberal Media supports this, without any real investigation, and we are where we are today because of it. "If it bleeds it leads." Anything to demonize and sensationalize an animal that PBS Nature goes out of their way to use extremely LOW angle camera shots, on STAGED scenes with a passive (captive) Pythons, while schools of people drive by in the background -- to imply an "invasion."
The REAL ISSUE we must all deal with, besides the immediate Vote against any Python banning legislation, is the IMPLICATIONS it has for EVERYTHING we all hold dear. Are we going to continue to let these life time politicians throw a LABEL on something we have lived with, cared for and built businesses around, so that special interest corporations who FUND these politician's elections can have their way? Or are we going to get PISSED and do something about it? I am not
Chris G. - 12 years ago
These bans are never going to happen. They could ban all pets and that wouldn't stop me from keeping them.
Michael Beach - 12 years ago
All the facts are out. This is NOT the answer.
We all hear about the problems in Southern Florida and the rare horrific death from snake constriction because the press loves that kind of news. Then the lawmakers try to jump on it because they don't know what to do. Banning all constrictors is not the answer though.
One of the many facts that no lawmaker understands is that there is no boa or python that can even live if the temps get below 40 degrees. They will all die. Therefore they cannot populate, breed or even live in any state in the US - except the southern tip of Florida.
Lawmakers --- please read the facts.
Responsible reptile owners - please try to get your lawmakers to read and understand the facts.
I have worked as a snake conservationist for nearly 10 years and I can say with the uttermost confidence that the pet trade is among the worse threats that snakes face. Anyone who tries to deny that is clearly deluded or simply ignorant. I have lectured about this issue many times at schools, including speaks for university students. I also lecture vet assistant students at St Lawrence College about how detrimental the pet trade is to reptiles. I use all my media appearances and public talks to speak out against this terribly exploitive trade. www.the-snake-man.com/pet-trade-horrors.html
Donna - 12 years ago
One additional note:
To the person who overstated how the pythons are affecting the everglades:
There are many vastly more damaging species out there...mostly plants.
The only reason Burmese pythons have no 'natural predators' in the Everglades is because they are not native. They have TONS of predators in the Everglades, including raccoons, opossums, hawks, weasels, wading birds...well, I'll just stop now, and point out that anything that eats rat snakes will also eat baby Burms. As for the older animals, alligators find them delicious. For every alligator eaten by a Burm, it's a sure bet the alligators eat dozens of Burms. Burmese pythons prefer warm-blooded prey, that's why they have heat-sensing pits on their faces. Burms have provided an unexpectedly rich food source for gators. The famous photo of a gator sticking out of a Burm's belly? The snake was dead because another gator had bitten off its head. Current studies show that Burms are replace mid-level predators such as bobcats in the Everglades. Bobcats had been in decline, and their prey species were overpopulating, and threatening endangered reptiles, turtles, and yes, even alligators, by eating their eggs. So, it's actually possible that the Burms are stabilizing the Everglades ecosystem more than they are damaging it.
Another animal that's happy to see the big snakes: the endangered Indigo snake is a snake-eater, and baby burms are on the menu.
There are hundreds of invasive species living in the Everglades--somewhere around 50% of the animals and plants there are non-natives. Most of these have had a far worse impact than the Burmese python. It's all politics, folks. 100%. They don't pose a threat to humans, and they're a drop in the bucket in the severely damaged Everglades environment. Don't let them fool you.
Shane - 12 years ago
Laughable, "the government" can't get their own business right but we think they're going to get something ELSE right ? It's really our own fault at the end of the day folks. Afterall, who voted these Marxists into office ? Who is it that thinks it's "the govts" job to protect us from ourselves with "laws" ? Welcome to the new "progressive" U.S.S. of A. !
Donna - 12 years ago
These animals pose no threat to the environment outside of South Florida, where they already exist. This is a money grab attempt by the greedy politicians and Florida FWS. Florida has already put regulations in place. Stopping interstate transport will not keep pythons out of any State, they are already kept in all States where they are currently legal. It will only destroy businesses and gut an industry.
It will create a large population of homeless pythons, however. What will happen to those?
The Lacey Act is not a toy for these people to play with. Vote no.
Eric - 12 years ago
Invasive species have been a problem since Europeans arrived in the New World. Foreign human diseases from Europe wiped out civilizations (http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/3191-the-mayan-civilization-time-line). Foreign flora from Asia decimated Appalachian forests (http://www.acf.org/). Foreign fish damaged the Mississippi basin (http://dnr.wi.gov/org/gmu/mississippi/invasives.htm). And now foreign fauna are threatening to topple the natural order in Florida.
By all means - STOP THE MADNESS!!!! Not only should pythons and other non-native snakes be HIGHLY REGULATED, they should all be treated as varmints and subject to prejudicial TERMINATION!!!
valerie - 12 years ago
It is obvious that most people here ARE NOT educated on exactly what is happening to the everglades, in part because of these snakes. Trade ban is being proposed because PEOPLE who do not want these snakes anymore are simply let them go. These snakes' natural home IS NOT here in Florida!! They have NO natural predators, which means they breeed and mutiply with no natural force to balance their population. In fact, they are preying on the local wildlife, much of which is already endangered. Has anyone seen the video where pythons are now eating American alligators? http://youtu.be/IckkZVwShd4
This is very scary, the one predator able to somewhat control the big snake population and now the alligators are becoming the prey. I urge everyone here to do more reading on this topic.
gethefax - 12 years ago
I cant believe some of the ignorant comments obviously coming form those that KNOW NOTHING about the EVERGLADES whatsoever. I was raised in the Everglades, going back to the 50's...and this was the most pristine place in the World. And now some of these ignorant commentors want the GOVERNMENT to stay out of it. Thank God were making an effort to restore this once tranquil natural environment that so many IGNORANT people have destroyed. They destroyed my/our place of refuge...not only ours but the natural species from plant life to animal life and much more...the ecosystem as a whole. For those that are bent on sitting back and doing nothing...just stay out of our EVERGLADES and dont come near it!!!
Jim - 12 years ago
BTW Robby Blaze lives in Kingston, Ontario?
Hmmm we are discussing an American ban on reptiles...
I have a better idea, let's ban uneducated people. Robby, you obviously know nothing more than what PETA has jammed into your head. If you vote yes, don't you dare say you care about this country. You want your freedoms, but want to take others freedoms away. On top of that, how many businesses are based off of breeding and selling ball pythons? You, sir, are a liberal ass. My snakes, like many others are a hobby, and when needed, an educational tool. If someone acts scared, I do not force the snake upon them, I cover the snakes head and step back. I do this because I'm scared to death of spiders, and I would hope for the same courtesy from spider owners. I may not like them, but you know what? I'm being considerate of a fellow animal enthusiast and say, "it's your right to emerse yourself, as deep as you like, in your hobbies and interests." So what this boils down to is another case of uneducated people voting, a certain 2008 election rings a bell. See how that went?
Robby fuck off
Kris - 12 years ago
@anyone and everyone that thinks these exotic snakes can live anywhere outside of these 5 counties that they already inhabit in the Everglades, do your research, they cannot. If a snake is found in your state, and its NOT southern Florida then it either just escaped or someone set it free because they CANNOT survive lower than 60 degree temps for more than a few days. They do NOT hibernate, they just die. As far as everyone that owns them setting them free because they have been banned really doesnt undersatnd how the "BAN" works, That will stop "FUTURE" trade and transport, it has nothing to do with ownership. Those that own them will still be allowed to keep them, they just wont be allowed to move them across state lines or sell them in any way, and no more will be allowed into the country. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CURRENT OWNERSHIP! Thank you for being so ignorant that you commented on a subject before even knowing all the details. Makes you look real intelligent. And just for public record, my animals are not neglected in any way, and i do have all the correct permits for my animals, and have gone through all the legal "hoops" so to speak just to keep my animals and now you wanna strip me of my rights as an American?
Trey - 12 years ago
IM AM JUST SAYING THIS NOW! WHEN AND IF THE GOVERNMENT EVER BANS EXOTICS/ETC. MOST HERPERS WILL LET THEIR SNAKES GO. THEN WE WILL HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM. THEREFORE, THE IDEA IS EXTREMELY STUPID UNLESS THEY ARE TRYING TO KILL OFF ALL NATIVE SPECIES OF ANIMALS IN AMERICA... thank you for reading my opinion. i breed snakes and make money off them as well so if this happened i would not have a job..
I am an owner of a Reptile education company. We teach kids and adults every day about how fear can cause you to be predigest and that with just a little education we can all learn to get along. The kids and the adults after one of our shows come away with important information that has changed so many peoples beliefs that snakes and reptiles are horrible and evil and slimy creatures. With in just a few minuets with one in there hands they understand just how wonderful they are. Banning a reptile because someone was negligent or abusive or because they were released on accident in a hurricane makes no sense at all. The Pythons are there they are not going to go away if we ban them ...but they are dyeing off from the cold without our help...so why would we take an isolated incident that only affects one small place in the US and tell everyone in the US they were not responsible enough to own one ever again. Yet they let people have kids that have no right having even own a gold fish... If they would micro chip and document the sale of the animals that would resolve the issue they could fine people and make the money they all so desperately want...still would do nothing for the existing ones in the wild but was that ever the real problem or is it all about finding a way for someone to make more $?
O and I live in Texas so if that automatically makes me a Redneck then I am one very proud redneck!...
Galadriel - 12 years ago
Burms were first found in the 'glades as far back as 1975. Banning boids in captivity in 2011 is going to change the situation HOW??? Nothing but fear mongering, exploitation, and a platform to further agendas and hurt those of us who are both passionate and responsible.
I have a better idea. Ban PETA.
This is a prime example of politicians and Animal Rights activists creating a false dragon to fight in order to gain donations and media exposure. Anybody who is for taking away peoples rights to responsibly own the animals they like should go live in a country that is run by a dictatorship. This is America where are supposed to be able to pursue life, liberty and Happiness, Remember?
If keeping a python responsibly does that for people then let them have them and not have to constantly be worried about being treated like criminals. Any politician that sponsors Animal ownership ban legislation should be voted out of office immediately. This is one major indicator that the politician is just on the take for their own personal interests. The animal rights groups like HSUS and PETA are nothing more than cash grabbing machines that take funding out of the pockets of real shelters and rescue groups. If your local politicians are catering to lobbyists that are from these two groups vote them out. They are corrupt!
Chris - 12 years ago
"Good luck trying to tell me that it's right to imprison ANY animal, they were here long before we were."
There you go again, Robby: you're not convincing as just a guy who wants to exploit fear of reptiles, because the quote above involves you admitting yet again that you want pet ownership COMPLETELY abolished, as opposed to just nontraditional animals.
And with your other reply, which you could've meshed in with your previous one, I never said ANYTHING about supporting animal abuse or using a snake as a trophy. So thanks again, this time, for putting words in my mouth.
So what is everyone supposed to do if a law is ever passed banning our beloved pythons? Everyone has these dogs......there are 800,000 serious dog injuries a year......there are only 7,000 non fatal snake bites a year with 15 fatal bites a year so what is the problem? My snakes are part of my family. I love them more than many other people. I have taught myself everything I know since I was 14....thats a long time.....I have brought them and taught with them at girl scout clubs and cubs scout clubs. I have taken in so many rescues there are never any abandoned snakes in my town they all come to me. But yet we always have cops called because of dogs running around trying to bite people and fight other people's pets. The ones who voted yes are just uneducated. I have taught 12 year olds about these creatures so therefore I can easily teach someone with the mentality of a 5 year old. Good job calling us python owners "rednecks" I'm not sure but do I sound like a redneck to anyone? I think not. Before you vote and ruin so many people's lives take the time and look at the facts.
How can you say you love snakes when you support the abuse, neglect, exploitation, and the obvious problems of places like the Everglades?? You are nothing but someone who wants to hold a snake as a trophy. Animals belong in the wild, not on shelves.
This isn't just about snakes or reptiles, I speak about all animals. This is a poll about banning PYTHONS not cats and dogs. Good luck trying to tell me that it's right to imprison ANY animal, they were here long before we were.
jim - 12 years ago
They have had a ban on large constrictors in NY for years and people walk downtown with there snakes! Who is going to inforce these laws with all the budget cut backs? Our senator. Nelson is an idiot and hopefully be voted out office! I may have to move in with Jeff Ronne if this keeps up!
As many of the comments before have stated, it's not the pythons that are the problem, it's the people. I am a Florida resident with a permit to own Burmese Pythons. I take great care of my pythons and show them greater respect then many of my friends that own cats & dogs. I am a snake lover first and foremost, but I am also a license Burmese Python Hunter with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission. I hunt in the Everglades every weekend, and to date I have only captured 10 pythons. They are not in the hundred thousands as claimed. They are beautiful snakes with a bad rap and it sickens me that such a ban is being considered.
The government should just stop touching stuff they always seem to ruin stuff when they do.
For example name one successful social service offered by America? I'll wait for an answer once we turn America around!
Brian - 12 years ago
To anyone who voted yes....you are obviously uneducated about Pythons. Do a little research and see which animals are more likely to cause injury to humans....horses, dogs, cattle,...should we ban them as well? Just because you don't "like" reptiles doesn't give you the right to prevent others from owning and keeping them. Of course anyone who neglects, mistreats, or releases into the wild a non-native species, should be punished to the full extent of the law.
Chelsea B. - 12 years ago
If you're going to ban these animals based on certain 'facts' and 'statistics' then there might as well be a ban on dogs and cats and most other animals too because those same 'facts' and 'statistics' being used against snakes could also be used against everyone's beloved pooches and felines and most of them in a more accurate manner.
Feral dogs and cats cause the same, if not more damage then these invading snakes have in the Everglades. And why are they feral? Because unresponsible owners have let them loose to fend for themselves. So should we ban or require permits on puppies and kitties?
Big snakes are dangerous - yes - they have the potential to be extremely dangerous animals. But more people are killed by dogs, horses, bees, spiders, and other animals each year then by large constrictors. Yet I see no one slapping those facts down on a table in an attempt to ban horses.
This act is truly and wrongly being led on by misinformed and fearful people, most who would possibly change their mind if the media would expose the good side of these amazing reptiles, or if they had the chance to experience these creatures for themselves.
I take my snakes out to a child correctional facility's pet center - there they have several types of animals for the children to learn responsibility from by taking care of them. The woman who runs the program can not thank me enough. She always tells me how much the kids have improved since my visit, how much more eager they are to learn and study things all because of my snakes. She tells me a lot of the kids learned how to overcome a fear because of them, and that a lot of the kids look up to me and whatnot. That's all thanks to my snakes, yet you'll never heard that sort of story about snakes in the news. Had my big 7ft boa bit one of the kids though, I'm sure it'd had been in the paper the next day.
This ban isn't the answer.
ransnakeman - 12 years ago
just leave shit alone!your not gonna take all our rights away so just stop the bullshit!
EricWI - 12 years ago
There is zero scientific bearing to the notion that this is a federal issue. Burmese pythons in the Everglades are a state of Florida issue thus far confined only to 3 counties in the southernmost tip of Florida. Federal regulations are not needed for what is a localized problem and will do nothing pragmatic on the ground to address it. The state of Florida has already addressed this issue by effectively outlawing Reptiles of Concern (ROC’s). By comparison, both feral cats, and swine are both far more widespread and ecologically destructive “invasive” species worldwide.
There have now been several published papers and research that thoroughly debunk claims made that pythons are capable of inhabiting the southern third of the continental U.S. Burmese pythons are tropical S.E Asian species, not temperate zone animals. 9 out of 10 pythons died in a S. FL study by Dorcas et all, while all pythons in an Aiken SC study died despite being provided heated artificial refugia. Even 95% of the African rock pythons are suspected to have already been extirpated by the weather according to Scott Hardin and FWC exotic species coordinators. We won't be seeing any "Man eating super snakes" invading the U.S.A. anytime in the forseeable future.
The non peer reviewed, internally generated grey literature USGS report, which this entire federal rule making is based upon, has been widely debunked by an independent panel of 11 herpetologists and other respected scientists as “unscientific”, and “not suitable for the basis of legislative or regulatory action”. Even Michael Bean of Department of Interior (DOI) has stated the Lacey Act is an entirely inadequate tool for the job at hand.
Donny - 12 years ago
Hey Justin Brown, how about not allowing dogs to be pets then???
http://www.realpitbull.com/abuse.html
Sorry, I had to post it. People need to be aware that abuse and neglect is
a bullshit excuse to ban snakes.
Don't people understand that these bans will ruin the opportunity for your children and their children to have the same wonderful learning experience I've had for 50 years and this will take away the children's chances to make a difference and learn to fight for the things they love and want to preserve so they have a future other than one dictated by others? Don't people accept ANY responsibility for the doom of our environment and the devastation these such actions will cause for the future? Do you REALLY want your children to NOT have the opportunity we've all had to learn from these animals and feel the pride in teaching and educating others? Do you really want to accept FULL responsibility for taking this away from your future and your children's? THINK ABOUT IT !!! Stop the killing and stop trying to destroy what's left of our environment and cease with the POWER PLAYS!!!
kj - 12 years ago
justin brown has no clue what he is talking about and the website is nearlly completly false
Justin Brown - 12 years ago
Snakes should not be pets. http://www.the-snake-man.com/pet-trade-horrors.html
Patti Douglas - 12 years ago
The statement that "animals don't belong in homes" goes against scientific research. Pet ownership has been proven to help people lower blood pressure and help fight depression. For people who have allergies to furred animals, reptile ownership is a viable option. If pythons are banned, that opens the door to banning other reptiles, as well.
I have several types of reptiles as pets, and many of them are rescues that others either no longer wanted or didn't take good care of. They are all wonderful pets, and I love them as much as I do my furry pets. To think that the government could regulate which of them I could have is a very scary thing.
Allan Balmer - 12 years ago
This Ban is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of, The majority of snakes sold in the US for pets, are types that won't get over 6 feet. Yes there are dealers that sell Burmese and Reticulated but those are seen far less often and if the person selling those animals bothered to make sure the customer buying it understood what they were asking for this situation would never have come about in this manner. There are three types of snakes that are common in the pet trade, the Ball Python (largest ever recorded a 6 foot female that was no larger around than the average persons upper arm) the common Corn snake a creature found across the north american continent they reach 6 feet as well they only get to be maybe the diameter or the average child's wrist. And finally the King snake, which is again indigenous to the Americas and across the globe, is one of the few snakes that in the wild will eat other snakes regardless of type they'll eat Corn's they'll eat Rattle snakes which helps keep populations of unwanted snakes and vermin under control. I know that this ban speaks more specifically to Pythons but if the government takes away our right to own one species of snake what makes you think they will stop there and start saying we can't own Boas or Corns or Kings or Milks or hell even the common Garter snake. And with a quick little bird walk towards Wayne's comment dangerous dogs, such as Pit bulls and Rottweilers, really I get that those breeds have histories for being aggressive and or fighting dogs but to say that they as a breed specifically are dangerous is just as uneducated as anyone saying that pythons are dangerous and shouldn't be allowed to be kept as pets. Its not the breed its not the animal that makes them dangerous, Its the idiot that makes these creatures fearful for their lives and their homes that creates these problems whether it happens to be a horse, a dog, a bird, it doesn't matter. We need to educate and open our selves as a whole, the entire planet every person because if we close our minds or decide to not bother learning about this or that, that is when we become the wild stupid dangerous animal that needs to have bans and laws passed against the keeping of them.
Rasmus Vestergaard - 12 years ago
We will soon stop looking at the states as the "free country" you will end up getting as regulated as us or more.
Chris - 12 years ago
Robby, why should your comment be kept in consideration about banning just reptiles if you just admitted that you want ALL pet ownership outlawed? I quote: "Animals don't belong in homes."
And for your information, I am not a redneck; in fact, I live in New England, whereas only idiots think that they are the majority of the population outside of the South. And I don't own a reptile, either, so thanks for stereotyping people who oppose this for general political reasons, such as me.
Lara Inglis - 12 years ago
Robby..."ignorant rednecks"? First off I have owned snake for over 27 + yrs and am a well educated woman who lives in New Jersey! These snakes CAN NOT live much further north in the wild then then Florida! They are TROPICAL species and would not be able to handle the harsh winters of the majority of the US. Why don't you try to educate YOURSELF about the animals and their responsible owners (not just the small few that do something stupid and give the rest of us a bad name) before YOU make ignorant statements like that. USARK.org is a GREAT place to start!:)
Donny - 12 years ago
Robby, then ban Dogs and Cats... More of them are neglected and let go every year than snakes were in the past 5 years... Maybe more... Neglect and release has no impact when it comes to snakes over dogs and cats... Want to talk about an invasive species that is damaging and dangerous to the ecosystem and the public combined... Simple, look at your neighbor's cat or dog...
Donny - 12 years ago
I wouldn't let ignorance trample people's rights... After all, what kills more people a year? Dogs or Snakes? I honestly would rather try to get an angry large Boa, Burm, or Retic out of the cage and take the bites than be pieced back together after a Dog attack...
And its not banning them because they injure people, its banning them from the pet trade to stop assholes from neglecting them and releasing them into other ecosystems.
Of course you should ban them. No they won't help the florida everglades, but if we wouldn't of been retarded before the everglades wouldnt of happened in the first place. History repeats itself and just because things have happened in florida doesn't mean it won't in other places. The only people who can argue that point with me are ignorant rednecks who just want to look bad ass with a snake even though its animal cruelty. Animals don't belong in homes.
Terrell Norris - 12 years ago
Don't ban snakes. Horses injure and kill more people. Try banning them first.
JIM ELLER - 12 years ago
wayne that is a great idea.people that want snakes of this size need to be very educated about them and understand that when you are in the petstore and you get this pretty little 24 inch albino burmese python that you carry it home and keep it 4 or 5 years that it is not going to be this pretty little 24 inch snake any more that it will grow to legnths upto16, 18 ft and weigh alot and cannot be handled by just one person anymore..
LISTEN PEOPLE IF YOU WANT A BURMESE OR A RETICULATED PYTHON OR ANYOTHER LARGE BREED OF SNAKE PLEASE AND I INFORCE PLEASE GET EDUCATED BEFORE YOU GO OUT AND PURCHASE THAT SNAKE YOU CAN LOOK UP THE SNAKE OF YOUER CHOICE ON THE INTERNET AD GET INFORMED ALL BY YOUR SELF AND THEN YOU CAN MAKE A CHOICE WEATHER OR NOT YOU WANT AND NEED A LARGE BREED SNAKE. REALLY THINK IT OVER.
JIM ELLER - 12 years ago
i am not trying to be a hard ass but if people that have snakes/ pytons and they get to where they dont want them any more they can get intouch with alot of people that would want that snake but no they make it bad for everyone else that love this great hobby by turning snakes loose into the wild thus making a vicious creature that doesnt no any better.i am like another guy that posted on here. regulate it by a permit system and not totally ban it. that would upset alot of people that do bust there ass to do right and take upmost care of there snakes .just beacuse someone wanted a look at piece that they really dont need and dont have the knowledge to have it in the first place.. i hope i didnt offend anyone but this is the way i feel.
i can be contacted on facebook by jim eller or by e-mail at james_llr@yahoo.com feel free to drop me a line. talk to you all later.
I concur with the above statement and have been preaching this everyday!!! Let us not forget about dangerous dogs, the pits, rottweilers!! Start to educate, and start to understand before you have a knee-jerk reaction! The nation is mainly made up of idiots anyway. We must do all we can to educate the poorly informed.
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Continued: At first John Mackey and Wayne Pacelle were the only two people on the board of directors on the website. Per the website today, Wayne Pacelle is on the board of
directors but is not mentioned on the tax return as a officer. Ron Burkle (Supermarket guru, billionaire and a good friend of Bill Clinton,) AKA Yuciapa Companies, bought into this company at the tune of 9.81 million shares in January of 2009 as an active, not passive,
participant. To read all about it http://247wallst.com/2009/01/08/activist-burkle/
This cult of animal rights people is being carefully groomed by Cass Sunstein our regulatory Czaar and Ingrid Newkirk of PeTA along with Wayne Pacelle of HSUS to take over the food supply of the US by strangling it with more regulations through fear and intimidation as did the maffia in the early days. Combine the animal rights movement and organized crime and the result is one of the biggest scams in American corporate history. The animal rights movement has taken over the animal welfare charities also referred to as non profit 501(c)3 corporations. Special interest groups like HSUS has led California into a tail spin when it comes to agriculture. They were once leaders in agriculture and could produce enough food to feed the world, now they have to import food from other countries to feed hungry familes in their own farming communities. So, how can we change this scam? By joining together and not fighting against each other. By supporting each others calls for help and by telling our legislators we don't want any bans on pet ownership neight this ban on pythons or the PUPS bill which is an attempt to ban dog breeding. Join together with the other oganizations talk to everyone you know about what this cult intends to do. Pass our leaflets and visit your representatives and work for those that understand what this cult takeover is attempting to do to our country and our rights. Let every senator and congressional representative know that you will not tolerate this taking our our rights to eat what we want, to fish, to hunt, to raise our pets, to own any animal we want.
Folks, this isn't really about snakes but about all animals. The animals rights groups HSUS , PeTA, THLN, and now the ASPCA have all been taken over by animal rights extremists except for PeTA which has always been AR. We have in our present government administration and influx of animal rights people who have been pouring money into politicians pockets. The USDA recently hired a former HSUS employee and she has gone after rabbit breeders. The helm of this movement is Cass Sunstein hired by President Obama to run the regulatory agency. He is an avowed published animal rights cult member who is behind the ban on children under 18 working with animals on farms that was put out by the USDA. These groups want to ban all use of animals. The PUPS bill in congress is the first step on controlling what you do with your dog. This bill claims you are a volume breeder with only one intact female dog in your possession. This bill also declares that anything you sell over the internet for profit is under their control. It also lists 4 month old puppies as of breeding age to be counted in the intact female dog catagory. Instead of pitting yourself againsts dogs and cats or other pets know that all pets are under attack by this cult. They do not want you to eat any meat. The purpose of a cult is mind control and now they are after school kids to bring about the prejudice they need toward controlling the public. Without active VB12 found only in meat the brain eventually will become overly emotional and irrational. This group wants money and power to do as they please with our lives. Their goal is to end all use of animals. Know that they have also been attacking farmers, ranchers, hunters and angulars. They attack any industry that uses meat for fish or animals in any manner. They have managed to reduce the number of medical studies that require animal subjects by lying to the federal agencies. They have managed to reduce your rights to hunt and fish by getting hired by the fish and game agencies. This cult has also gotten into the USDA. Whole Foods coupled with HSUS is trying to control what the public buys by setting up an external inspection agency and advertising their food as the only humane food source. They want to put all others out of business. Global Animal Partnership (GAP)(AKA Animal Compassion Foundation) was formed by Whole Foods Market CEO and founder John Mackey. Their website states that they were formed in 2008 http://www.globalanimalpartnership.org/ Per Whole Foods Market website: They require farmers to abide by Global Animal Partnership's 5 step process to sell their products to Whole
Foods. These inspections are being run by third party companies. IMI Global Inc. reveals this information:"IMI Global President Leann Saunders Elected Secretary-Treasurer of U.S.
Meat Export Federation ... IMI Global, Inc. ... CO 80104 phone: 866-395-5883" http://www.imiglobal.com/pressreleases/imiLeannBoard.pdf As of Dec. 5th 2011, Leann Saunders is now paid by none other than "the United States Department of Agriculture and a variety of other livestock and commodity organizations." The third company listed as independent auditor is Steritech http://www.steritech.com/ Their "about us page" reads: "The Steritech Group, Inc. is the leading provider of specialized brand protection services in North America. If you check into Global Animal Partnership's website further, it is geared toward HSUS Ohio meat fight. http://www.globalanimalpartnership.org/for-retailers/consumer-support-for-animal-welfare/
This company formed by Whole Foods CEO founder John Mackey and Wayne Pacelle Director of HSUS is an attempt to control our foods supplies. The 2006 tax return shows contributions
totaling $666,766.00 with Whole Foods Market donating $666,766.00. The
majority of funds to Global Animal Partnership is still from Whole Foods
Market. At first John Mackey and Wayne Pacelle were the only two people on the board of directors on the website. Per
How much more will this remove from the USA economy. Between animal rights, EPA and Fish and Wildlife they will help to further bankrupt America.
Though I don't own reptiles or find them particularly interesting the real point here is that we have a Constitution that protects individual rights one of them being property. As much as the "animal rights" (ironically animals don't have Constitutional rights) zealots would like you to believe animals are property.
I will not support another piece of colorable law. Period.
Yo Gus, Numero doesn't have a b you idiot.
1st off Robby Blaze is just some kid in a band that is really no good at all. Click the link, then click mute. HA HA HA
2nd off and more importantly:
A) THE MOST INVASIVE PET SPECIES IN THE WORLD IS THE HOUSE CAT, IF YOU BAN PYTHONS BAN HOUSE CATS FIRST. HOUSE CATS HAVE CAUSED EXTINCTIONS AROUND THE GLOBE AND THE RECKLESS KEEPING OF THESE ANIMALS IN A FREE RANGE TYPE STYLE IS MORE DAMAGING THAN PYTHONS COULD EVER BE.
B) THERE ARE 2 MILLION HORSES AND 2 MILLION SNAKES IN CAPTIVITY BASED ON AZMA NUMBERS. PER THE CDC THERE ARE 430 HORSE RELATED DEATHS AND 0.4 PET SNAKE RELATED DEATHS IN AMERICA EACH YEAR.
THIS MEANS THAT PER ANIMAL HORSES ARE 1000% TIMES MORE DANGEROUS THAN SNAKES AS PETS...
--Myke
(not a redneck, California born and raised, educated TV producer. So eat it.)
Robby Blaze (Is that your real name?)
Justin Brown
gethefax (practice what you preach!)
Eric
Matt Ellerbeck (what a joke!)
dont be stupid! (again, practice what you preach!)
Gus Brentfro ( what an idiot!)
Bob Kent
Edward the 5th (the 5th what??)
I think you know why your names are on this list!
Yes, pet retics and burms have killed people. Fact. At least put a license on them. Some of the educated breeders sell these killing machines to trailor park hobos just to line there pockets full of dollars. My friends Billy goat was ate by some loonies pet reticulated python. He has never been the same since.
All you people that say ban pythons are clearly ignorant. Also, all of you that say pythons are eating people and all this other bullshit are clearly ignorant. If the government bans pythons, that would ruin a lot of businesses and a lot of people's lives. There are maybe a handful of deaths every couple of years from large constrictors killing people but they don't eat them.
The Burmese Pythons in the Everglades isn't just because of people. Have none of you ignorant people ever heard of Hurricanes in the state of Florida? That is right, Hurricanes can also come through and destroy zoos, breeding facilities, and homes ALL OF WHICH CONTAIN BURMESE PYTHONS. It is clear that some of you have no educational background and you are probably just Bible thumpers that believe snakes are evil because the Bible says so.
Should we also ban cats, dogs, horses, rats, parrots and every other animal that may inflict damage to us or hurt the ecosystem? Most of the people in the reptile industry are hard working people that love reptiles and we have had them for years and years. I am 23 and I have been keeping reptiles since I was 6 years old. They are a part of my life and I wouldn't know what to do without them. So all of you that whine about banning reptiles need to get a life and go educate yourselves before opening up your mouth to a situation in which you know nothing about.
I hereby agree with the banning of all large pythons and ball pythons in the USA. Man eaters, the lot of them!
Yep. Sure should.
Yes they should. Numbero one:- some of them are big enough to eat a man and have killed a few people. So have horses and dinosaurs you may say. Yes, but they aren't on this poll. So blow that up your ass.
Numbero two:- The industry behind the breeders of some of these animals are douch bags, with hacking, editors, hollywood gays behind them. They think nothing of ruining lives for the sake of there business.
Numbero 3:- Many many breeders are actually breeding designer morphs with known defects for big money.
Numbero 4:- I love cake and peas.
Unfortunately it's the same old story ,when people don't understand something they are quick to condem,and then it's the same old outcry,as a hobist your'e the direct cause of all the problems connected to the loss of the rainforest ,and you should be ashamed of your self.If they just took a couple of hours to look around they would come to relize a great number of exotics are bred by the hobbist reducing the stress on wild populations. If countries would look at the export of wildlife as a renewable resource and set up breeding facilities for the purpose of export to the pet trade we may have to pay a little more but in the long run these exports would be contributing to the ecomomy of that country ,while suppling a healthier animal to the pet trade.
Non elected federal agencies have way too much power and should not be allowed to make this an issue that they control. I believe it is completely unconstitutional! This should be ONLY a state and local decision state by state. The more you are aware of your local politics the less likely idiot "regulations" can be made. And I don't care what animal group you are talking about, WE the people run this country not the non federally appointed bureaucracies such US Fish and Wildlife! I am really sick of big government trying to tell us how to run our lives in every aspect. As a reptile person, I especially take issue with the feds in particular---get out of my backyard!!! But even at the state and local level it can be frustrating. All animals are subject to the whim of the caretaker. As a former reptile store I can assure you I made it my BUSINESS on educating folks on the pros and cons of keeping reptiles that can be legally purchased in my state. That's where it starts--responsible care taking AND commitment. In the meantime stay active with USARK--it's the best at pulling all the "herptile" people together---keep up the good work!!!
I have been keeping and propagating various species
of species of reptiles for many years . It has become a major part
Of my income but I am not here to cry about potentially taking a part of income away I am here because this is the United States of America, and as citizens of the US we have certain rights. I do know that pet keeping is not protected in the constitution but it should not have to be. As Americans we should be proud of the fact that your neighbor is aloud to keep a python or any other animals her or wishes ( with right knowledge and resources). Banning python s will fix any of our problems it will not undo what has been done and nothing beneficial will come out of it. But if we promote education and tolerance maybe we can turn some of things that were done around and our children will have the same liberties as we do.
If there is anyone out there that thinks that python molars Bivittatus is cause severe harm to Everglades national park please look a the new evidence. Since hurricane Andrew when a large snake breeding facility that was owned by the government was destroyed ( which 90 percent of these animals can be genetically traced back to) the turtle and American crocodile population have jumped. Ten years agoe American crocodile populations were less than three hundred and this morning I read an article that said population were at 17,000 and climbing. They think this maybe because with the introduction of the snake a niche may have been filled that has been missing since the mid 1900s. In the sixties and seventies bobcats, coyote and panther population were decimated and with a lack of mesopredators animals like raccoons and opossums were aloud to flourish unchecked. ( raccoons and opossums eat eggs).
So please do your research before you speak and allow the little right we still have stay in tacked!
Sincerely
Silence Dogood
I have seen CORN SNAKES more aggressive than many pythons. It IS STUPID to say that pythons should be banned because of all the idiots who dump them or allow them to escape from their cages.
It would be stupid to ban pythons. I love snakes and always will...Ball Pythons are one of the species I love. The government has too much power already and should NOT get the power to enact ANY MORE control. They have way too much control!!
I will NEVER accept a ban on pythons. EVER.
The people who cause all the problems have either no idea of proper care and security for pythons, or they have no wish to care for them properly. MOST snake owners take the proper steps to ensure their snakes' safety as well as other PEOPLE'S safety. While I don't like large snakes, I DON'T feel that a python ban is a good decision. People don't need MORE regulations, and neither do the snakes.
The problem is irresponsible people acquiring exotics of ANY species when they are babies, SMALL, cute, easy. Then their needs change, they grow up and need larger enclosures and cages, more food, they need veterinary care. They become sexually mature and aggressive, they bite and then people are eager to "get rid" of them. They blame the animal, not themselves for failing to properly research. They want the animal to "be free", so they dump it in the everglades thinking it's going to have a wonderful life when in fact most of these pet animals don't know how to find food, fresh water or shelter and meet a terrible fate, or in the case of reptiles, wreak havoc on our native species, both animal and plant. We have TOO much of a sense of entitlement without responsibility, and this is what needs to be controlled by voting in favor of the ban. It's cruel to confine a wild animal and there are too many sweet domestic animals who desperately need loving homes.
Most of the pythons loose in S. Florida escaped from a Miami Zoo when huricane Andrew came through and of course survived. Almost any other locality in the U.S. would have been fatal for the snakes.
Keeping that in mind why would you put a ban all over the United States ? The media always spread lies to sell themselves and keep animal rights movements alive. I hope people would use common sense thats not that common anymore but thats just wishful thinking.
Curt
I think the government should be focusing on finding people jobs and hunger rather than snakes come on pull your head out of your ass
I totlay agree with kris.people want to ban these animals cause they are afraid of them and have no knowledge of them.there are other animals that cause way more injuries and fatalities every year than reptiles like dogs.why not ban those animals? Cause they don't have scales.
Banning Burmese in Florida makes no sense. We already have the ROC regulations that control who does and doesn't poses one. If we take the approach to banning imports that could cause damage then let's ban rats and hamsters from pet stores. No pig farms. Visit the Everglades sometime and be amazed by the thousands of non native pigs destroying the environment. I don't see Senator Nelson putting them on the Lacey act. I don't see this parade on large constrictors attacking the snake skin trade. I don't see any of this directed at any group with financial backing and a united stand. Oh, lets not forget dog and cat ownership since they do get loose and do create havoc on the environment. Ferral cats are a larger problem then feral Burmese regardless where either is kept.
Regulation and responsible educated ownership is the best path for all. Besides, if the animal rights group win the Burmese battle based on that arguement then what's to stop them from using that on all pets.
The proposed ban makes no sense:
* It does not help removing released pythons in the everglades the slightest. A ban on keeping large constrictors in Florida has already been enacted and addresses future problems in this state. Outside Florida, none of these constrictors are at risk of becoming invasive (unsuitable climate and habitat).
Feral cats are a MUCH larger threat to the environment, populating the entire US and consuming native birds & rodents everywhere.
* Large constrictors don't pose a risk to the public: There are NO death in the US attributed to large constrictors except owners or keepers themselves. Even the latter constitute are rare occurance (60 people dies by a dog for every 1 person dying per constrictor!), ie. this is ONLY an occupational risk (unlike eg. dogs, which actually tend to kill member of the public).
The true solution is the education of the public: Don't get a large constrictor if you (1) aren't truly interested and ready to care for them, (2) have the necessary expercience. It's basically the same as for any other pet, understand what you get and don' just try out. Meanwhile all vendors and websites I know have warnings to potential customers, which is a big step forward.
hahaha no Robby is a punk all he ever talks about is being in a punk rock band he wants to call everyone a redneck hes just proving himself to be a horrible judgmental punk. ^Brian Gundy! You are one of my idols! haha Such an amazing person :)
haha you guys "robby" is a troll...
Wow, ROBBY, none of my reptiles are "trophy pets". Oh, and I'm not a "redneck", none of my family have ever been "redneck", and never will be "redneck". I love my reptiles and snakes just as much as I love my cat. All of my animals are captive bred, and if you don't know what this means, it means that they have been bred here, from animals that were NOT caught in the wild. Captive breeding has saved species in the past, and takes off a lot of the pressure from wild caught populations.I do not exploit my animals in any way, nor do I support the inhumane importation of wild caught animals.
You sound like a HSUS supporter...not have pets or any animals in our lives? That's pathetic. My pets have gotten me through tough times, and i provide them with an appropriately temperature regulated place to live, an ample supply of food on a regular basis, and a safe place free of predators. Oh yeah, and VET CARE. Which none of these things they get in the wild. SO....they are not being exploited.
I would never give up my beloved pets if they were banned. I don't care what the consequences would be, not one of my babies is dangerous to humans in any way, and I would never set them "free". Ever. They would have to be forcibly removed, just like i would fight it if they tried to take my cat away.
As to the nature of these bannings, lets be honest. They tried to put all "constrictors" on the list. I'm sorry but my 1 ft Sand Boas are "constrictor" snakes...there is NO WAY they could harm or kill ANYONE, not even a brand new, newborn child. Heck, my males cant even kill a n adult mouse! No chance for hurting a human. These bans are just ridiculous. I can understand getting a permit for some species, but an outright ban? That's wrong. Where would it stop? If it were up to you, or HSUS, or PETA...it wouldnt. It would ban all animals eventually. Just because a few people choose not to have pets? Make your choice and leave the rest of us the hell alone.
I dont believe in the dog ban list, because although some dog breeds are large enough to kill and injure humans...why would they do it in the first place? Lets take a look in the mirror for the answer to that one...(us, if you missed it...)
I do not currently own any of the "nine" that are commonly targeted for snake bans, but i'd love to have a BCC (boa constrictor) in the future. In fact I plan on fostering these lovely snakes in the future. I'd hate to see them banned.
Donna- If such measures you speak of are supported by credible, proven science, I would agree...
dogs attack and kill more people than any snakes. get off the reptiles and worry about other issues.
The reptile nation shouldn't be divided on issues like keeping invasive species out of areas where they can survive and breed. South Florida's badly damaged ecosystem is filled with non-native animals because Florida chose to allow this happen. I'm just saying that they shouldn't have done that in the first place. Florida shouldn't have been allowed to become a hub for shipments of tropical exotics.
If you want to keep entire warehouses full of uromastix in Florida, that's not a problem, but they SHOULD prohibit the importation of anything from a tropical or subtropical area, because the danger of accident or natural disaster releasing the animals has already been proven. Just as Texas may not want to permit bearded dragons, leopard geckos, or uromastix, but should have no problem allowing Burmese pythons. I realize saying so may not make me popular, but you know I'm right that desert species pose a risk there.
We do want to fight for our rights to keep these animals, but we should also be reasonable, and not fight legislation when we KNOW that it's in the best interests of the environment. Otherwise, we lose credibility. Do you care about the native wildlife in the Everglades or in Texas? I do, and I don't want to see them overrun by non-natives.
I don't think the reptile nation should fight the restrictions on keeping tropical animals in Florida. They SHOULD fight anyone attempting to add the animals to the Lacey Act, or ban them across the US, in areas where they can do no harm. By educating the public and each other, we can improve the reptile nation itself. It's part of being responsible keepers, and it will definitely help us keep the right to own these animals.
Sorry to burst your bulle but it has been genetically proven that ALL the Burmese Pythons found in the wild are from the same genetic gene pool, and not from people letting go in the everglades. There have been burmes in the everglades as far back as the 1960's. This whole issue is nothing more then Government properganda, just like they usesd to irradicate the communist's . IF WE THE PEOPLE continue to allow the government to run rampant over our GOD given rights , we will find ouselves carring papers and calling each other commrad.
I wrote Nancy Polosi one time about gun control and she wrote me back and said she was for gun control because she knew someone who shot themself in the head. I sure am glad she did not know someone who drove a car off a cliff, or who jumped off a bridge. We would all still be getting round on horses, and we would have to take a ferry anytime we crossed water to get to the other side. Government needs to take its butt out of everyone's business. It is time for the nanny state to end. Protect us from our enemies which is not pythons and boas.
Obviously, when a person says a survey done by the usgs is bogus, then you have proof that what you say is the truth right, or are we just supposed to take your word for it?
Apparently people will say anything to justify their position.
Do you really believe that two wrongs also make a right?
What exactly is going to come out of a ban if it does get passed. i dont know about any other herpers but i know i wont be getting rid of my herps that ive had for years just because someone outside my home said i cant have them. and to whoever said before that people owning snakes would just let them go if they get banned, if thats the case they didnt belong owning them to begin with. but i can see the point. alot of people would just "toss" them. wouldnt that just make the problem worse? i read in the paper and see on the news about someone being attacked by pitbulls. i also own one of those. one of the best dogs i have ever seen. wonder if anyone knows that the pitbull use to be the face of the united states marine corps? the point i am trying to make for the completely uneducated is that it isnt the animal it is the owner and the manner in which it is cared for. people want to get rid of their snakes and throw them in the woods, just give me a call first and ill take them off your hands. they deserve better keepers than you. and to anyone who wants to take my "dangerous" reptiles away from me. you are more then welcome to try!
The number one and only factor that is threatening the Everglades or any other environment is big business. Perhaps we should ban sugar cane and pig farms. I doubt Senator Nelson would be up for that. We should also ban government grants to those that make a living of studying a problem. Aren't there those involved with an agenda to ban pythons awaiting grants to allow them to study the alleged problem? I doubt those grants would be available if there wasn't a problem. Guessing it's profitable to create problems.
As for the comment that this is a Florida problem and should be directed to only banning them in Florida. Now is not the time to segregate the Reptile Nation by focusing the problem in one localized option just because it doesn't affect you. Any banning based on lies and money driven agendas should be attacked as one united stand against those who which to impose their beliefs on others for no good reason but because they think they should.
As for all animals shouldn't be in homes or shelves then perhaps we humans shouldn't either. If you don't agree with pet ownership then don't have pets but don't tell me I can't either or call me a redneck without first getting to know me.
Why is there not a vote to prosecute those who have intentionally lied about the supposed facts they have created to apply large constrictors to the Lacey Act? How is it possible that they continue to make noise for their own personal agendas and continue to attempt to circumvent due process in their never ending plight to satisfy their personal prejuidice or financial gains?
This venue taken by our politicians and orchestrated by special interest groups and scientist seeking personal income has destroyed my belief in our government and judicial system. Apparently those with money can do what ever they please.
Pythons are wonderful animals an make wonderful pets. To all that said yes, just because they aren't cute in your definition doesn't mean they deserve all of the bad press. Ignorance is the killer here. Assuming that every person that owns pythons are only doing it for "sick entertainment" or as a "trophy" is as ignorant as assuming that just because you can speak makes you intelligent. Yes there are irresponsible people out there, yes abuse happens, but it certainly is not the majority. If the govornment wants to regulate the python trade then so be it. I'll do whatever it takes to own my beloved pets. What the gov't is trying to do is get rid of the trade completely because they can't tax the hell out of it and they are trying to please all of the fearful uneducated populace. There are loads of facts on here already posted about invasive pythons. Go learn the facts for yourself on these animals and then make an educated decision stop letting bad news govern your thoughts.
let us herpers have our snakes. some of us take classes or have takin classes to own these animals. my snkes are held all the time even by the children in this house & they love it as well. so this ban is inexcusable by the the people who go great lengths to own them.
I agree with Shannon. I love every one of my snakes no matter what. Most people love these snakes, I love my snakes more than any other pet I have ever had except for my first dog. I have always loved them and always will. I never got rid of them for biting me. I have bitten on the lip nose wrist and countless times on my hands but it's what I get for rescuing the abandon neglected snakes. They all come out of it and they always make great great pets. Honestly when a person makes me mad I go to my snakes to handle them and it comforts me beyond any other level. My snakes are just like my children I love them I care for them and I would do anything for them. They just don't talk back haha. So please for everyone voting yes your argument is invalid if you have never owned or loved a snake.
I just can't understand why there is so much fear surrounding these wonderful animals. These proposed bans are nothing more than over-the-top reactions to an unfortunate prejudice ("preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience") against reptiles in general. It always AMAZES me that snakes are grouped with large cats, bears, and wolves. How are these even on the same level?
As far as snakes as pets go, I currently own seven animals, and my boa is just as much a part of my family as my dog and cat are. I interact with her daily, and I would do anything to keep her healthy. She is not some 'trophy pet' that I keep to feel better about myself. She is a wonderful companion. Yes, she is different than a cat or a dog, but I think I can speak for every snake owner here when I say that when we interact with our reptiles, there is a great level of care and affection we feel towards them.
If you don't want to keep snakes, then by all means don't keep them. No one is forcing you to own these animals. But do not strip these rights away from those of us who responsibly care for and interact with these fantastic creatures on a daily basis.
Yesterday bobby blaze told me I dont' love my snakes. He said you only love owning them. I say that's a load of crap. You know why the government wants to control everything? Because they want the money, they want to jump in and get money for what people are making. Just like the drugs, they are controlling the medicinal drugs so they are the ones making money off of it. No matter what if they ban the trade on snakes people are going to do it either way so honestly what would a ban do??? NOTHING. That doesn't do anything for the burmese pythons that are already out in the everglades breeding and producing more. Guess what else? There are ball pythons, reticulated pythons, spotted pythons, children pythons, and more that aren't harming anything. So why take away all of them based on one specie of snake thats in one part of the country? Do you people see how little your votes on yes are going to mean? No matter what one moron says there will always be us "rednecks" sticking together and doing what we love. No one in this country will make me get rid of my pets. I'll be put in prison before someone takes part of my family away. I will continue to teach at the high school and to young kids about them. I will continue to criticize Animal Planet for pushing fear of snakes into many people. I will continue to adopt and rescue the snakes. And I will continue to LOVE THEM and devout everything towards them.
I have been keeping snakes my whole life and I have been trained by professional zookeepers at jungle cat world in orono canada. I have boas and pythons and other kinds of snakes and worked with huge reptiles like crocodiles and huge monitors and pythons. Banning thies amazing animals would solve nothing. All that would happen is a angry country and a ton of people wth no jobs.
Even the largest python and boa species pose very little danger to their human keepers. Yes, some of them have "gotten loose" into the everglades and may or may not be affecting the environment. I can tell you what invasive species definitely is-without a shadow of a doubt-negatively affecting the everglades: Humans. The whole premise of large snake species threatening the ecosystem is simply ludicrous, especially when you consider that over HALF of the plants and a full 25% of the animal species (mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish) are EXOTIC (non-native) species.
Maybe we should ban ignorant people, such as Senator Bill Nelson, from serving in congress.
Why doesn't he and the rest of the congressional membership channel this blatant misuse of energy towards doing something honorable and good for the tax payers, i.e. pay back the more
than one trillion dollars that they ripped off from the Social Security Trust Fund !!! Oh I'm
sorry, my bad; that would surely involve some measure of honesty and integrity and these
virtues are seriously lacking in this senator and most of the congress.
Making these creatures illegal will not protect them, or the southern American enviornment. All creatures great and small are under attack for human encrochment on every continent. All wild animals will be threatened with instinction in the next 30 years without help from humans that care. Private reptile keepers ability to keep and care for theses creatures will help insure that they will not go extinct. If our consern is with our enviornment we need to better regulate indutrial pollution caused by sugar plantations and other distructive industries. Snakes are not a problem. Dogs and horses kill far more people each year than large constrictors. Do not pass regulations that ban large constrictors.
Matt,
First, that is demonstrably not true. It's quite silly to think that the pet trade is a worse threat to conservation than habitat loss.
Habitat loss is the worst threat ALL species face in the world, today.
While the trade in wild caught reptiles is horrible, the Lacey Act is NOT a tool that is meant to be used to protect species in foreign countries. The laws in those countries, and CITES are in place to do that. If they are not doing their jobs, it is absurd to think that the loss of the US market is going to make a huge dent in the problem. The animals will simply go to China, instead, where they may stand even less of a chance than they do here.
Knowledge of proper reptile care has steadily increased, and the expectations of customers are increasing with it. More than 50% of the reptiles sold now are captive bred here in the US, not wild caught imports.
This is true of pythons and boas as well. While only the importers would cry if importation of these snakes was banned, barring inter-state transport is distinctly NOT in the animals' best interests.
The trade is captive bred reptiles is not significantly different now from the trade in captive produced fish or small mammals, or birds.
The Lacey Act is meant to protect the environment of the US and the resources of the US. These snakes DO NOT pose a threat to the US environment, and the Lacey Act, which is meant to be added to through a very specific process, should NOT be hijacked for any political agenda.
There is already a method for adding species to the Lacey Act. This bill seeks to circumvent the rules, because the people who promote it KNOW that these animals do NOT qualify for addition to the Lacey Act, and never will.
There are a number of species that only exist today because they were established in captivity and captive-bred by dedicated reptile lovers. There are a number of species that are struggling against insurmountable odds in their native habitat, but are present in hundreds of captive reptile collections, and are thriving in captivity.
The Hogg Island boa is a good example of what I'm talking about. This subspecies of boa (a diminutive form that gets only 6 feet when fully grown) is extinct on its native island, due largely to habitat loss. They are widely captive bred and available readily to pet owners. We saved them from extinction. If their loss was hastened by over collection, the absence of collection would not have saved them--but we did.
I am a ball python breeder. I make sure that owners know what is needed to care for a ball python properly, and that they have it ready before the animal comes to them. These are small, harmless, docile pets, and they are on the CITES list due to their commercial value, not because their numbers in the wild are suffering. They are doing fine in the wild, and they're doing exceptionally well in captivity.
Like several other reptile species, the ball python is undergoing the process of domestication. Breeding for special colors, patterns, and temperament accomplishes this. The corn snake and leopard gecko are arguably already domesticated animals.
This law would not only set a terrible precedent for adding anything to the Lacey Act without proper review, it would destroy small businesses like mine. It would destroy my financial future and my childrens' legacy. What would happen to my snakes? Most of them are sold to people in other States, right now. I could not feed them if I could not sell the offspring each year.
I urge everyone to vote no on this pointless, deceptive, and damaging proposal.
It's ridiculous to blame pet owners for the problems in the Everglades. Most pet owners are responsible. Cats are doing more damage in the Everglades than the pythons are. Shall you add those to the Lacey Act? People let their cats outside all the time, and they live all of the US. They kill millions of native animals every year. Pythons can't survive in
Look at the stray dog population. Then look at the ons that injur people and other pets. Then look at the ones rabbid and attack... Out ways snakes by far
Hell to the no. These are simple animals that make enjoyable pets, and they represent the biggest portion of the reptile keeping industry. Banning the trade of these animals would be crippling to American businesses and homes, not to mention all of us who are enthusiastic about exotics and our God given freedom to keep them if we have the time, the money, the space, the knowledge, and the passion to do it.
The facts are that these large snakes are cold blooded animals, most if not all of them need to be in a warm invironment to survive in the wild. Florida seems to be the only place in the US where these snakes could possibly survive in the wild. If that is true why is our governement trying to ban the trade of these snakes through out the US.
If the issue is in Florida then lets direct the conversation toward banning the shippment of these snakes into Florida. There is no scientific eveidence that backs up the idea that these snakes could survive outside of Florida.
There is no logic in the thought of banning the trade of these snakes in the US.
Brian Gundy / For Goodness Snakes
I do not believe that pythons should be banned. This is the governments' way to control something instead of regulating it. This is the most ludicrous idea they have had.
To those who think that those of us who own large snakes do it for a "trophy pet".
I own a boa constrictor. I LOVE her. I dedicate my time to making sure she can live the best life possible, and she is gentle and healthy for it. She has an ultimate life of luxury. She lives in a world free of the problems she would face in the wild. She has her food handed to her on a plate. It's dead so there is no fear of it attacking her in self-defense. It's fresh, and bred to be a feeder, free of diseases that she might encounter if she ate a sick animal in the wild. She is free of parasites, both internal and external. She always has good temperatures and humidity levels. She has never had to deal with a predator. Anytime she has ever had a medical issue, she has received immediate vet care. There is not a scratch, burn, or scar on her body. This is what responsible pet ownership is. This is how MOST reptile keepers are. And yes, I DO plan on moving up to a reticulated python in time. I have done the research, I've looked into reputable breeders, and I am prepared for the time commitment these animals require. I am just waiting until I am in a living situation that can accommodate a larger reptile.
Sure, there are those who keep their pets in terrible condition, or release them into the wild when they get to be too much to handle. But this is true of any pet. Just look at your local animal shelter, and you will find so many pets who were just turned into the street because their owners didn't or couldn't care for them any longer. And as far as snakes being a threat? Honestly, you hear more reports of dog attacks than snake attacks. What's more, dogs are a threat to the general public, biting those that are not their owners. Snake attacks typically just happen to the owner in their own home. Walking down the street, you should be MORE afraid of a dog coming up and biting you than a python.
I won't even get deep into the issue of snakes posing a threat to the environment. Yes, they are a huge issue in warmer places such as southern florida. Is that due to poor ownership? There is no denying it. But, anyone who thinks a python (or any of the snakes on the list of reptiles facing bans) can survive anywhere else in the continental united states seriously needs to take five minutes to do a little research. These snakes require very specific husbandry, and there is no way they would be able to live through the cold.
So why is it that people push so hard for a ban on snakes? Because snakes are different. Most people cannot connect with them as they would to a small furry animal. But that is because they won't give them the chance. When I interact with my reptiles, it is always a heartwarming experience. There is a depth and a beauty to them that most people overlook. They are truly magnificent creatures, but people do not give them a chance. Most people I have met who are in favor of bans have never actually interacted with a snake. How is this fair judgement? How can we make a call on something if we refuse to understand it? All I ask is that people give snakes a chance. Statistically, they are one of the safer pets to own, but the media plays up the few incidents that do happen, and ignores the thousands of responsible owners out there who are trying to educate the public. Give them their chance. It isn't right to strip these animals away from responsible owners who cherish and respect these wonderful animals any more than it is right to take away a dog for similar reasons.
bottom line, if you do not have any experience with herps, your vote should not count.
Continued...
There was no evidence that the Python was "squeezing" or trying to harm the child. The real harm was the idiots the poor child had for parents. But now we're living with the hype this incident generated for legislation built on misleading facts. This is typical, and such tactics are repeated over and over.
Senator Nelson, South Florida Water Management, and other special interest who have "financial" dogs in this fight, that is paid for by TAXPAYER funds (us), is what is going on. Has NOTHING to do with Python threats. That is a ploy. A sham. A lie. Unfortunately, the Liberal Media supports this, without any real investigation, and we are where we are today because of it. "If it bleeds it leads." Anything to demonize and sensationalize an animal that PBS Nature goes out of their way to use extremely LOW angle camera shots, on STAGED scenes with a passive (captive) Pythons, while schools of people drive by in the background -- to imply an "invasion."
The REAL ISSUE we must all deal with, besides the immediate Vote against any Python banning legislation, is the IMPLICATIONS it has for EVERYTHING we all hold dear. Are we going to continue to let these life time politicians throw a LABEL on something we have lived with, cared for and built businesses around, so that special interest corporations who FUND these politician's elections can have their way? Or are we going to get PISSED and do something about it. And I am not talking about Pythons. This is tip of the iceberg. The encroaching fingers of political thieves are dipping into every aspect of our lives. Just voting them out isn't good enough. They need to be accountable, in dollars and cents, for the financial harm they are doing to our industry and our lives.
Time to take the offensive, and organize a class action suit. Support USARK with your time, and your funds. There's more at stake than Pythons. --j. Michael Miller
I live in Florida, having been here for nearly 20 years; grew up in the middle of corn country, Illinois, where I first was introduced to these amazing animals in 1985, one of which I still have, now 26 years old. I have several others ranging from a little over a year to 22 years. NONE, including my oldest, is over 11 feet long; and he's only 58 healthy pounds.
Although I am not a breeder, I have cared for, instructed, exhibited and made a science of understanding them on an intimate, uncaged (but controlled environment). They are intelligent, passive, docile, trusting (big mistake) and affectionate, who know and bond with their handlers that show the same considerations in return. Each have their own unique personality. Yes, I am writing a book on this subject, "Boids In America." But its more important links are to human nature -- and how we see all animals in a very destructive, corrupt and prejudicial way that not only hurts our environment, but ourselves.
What has happened with legislation in Florida is typical of the political hypocrisy and power grabbing by special interest we're all too familiar with, that have spawned the revolts all over the world, not just America, which have been dubbed a variety of things; from sit-ins to "movements." But it's just emblematic of the civil rights we've all surrendered in the last 20 years to corporate intrusions of our lives, our privacy and our rights.
I don't have words (that I can use here) for my feelings of the out-of-context suppositions, drawn by supposedly educated animal professionals at the various government and educational institutions that have came up with these B.S. (not bachelor of science) conclusions about how many Pythons are in the Everglades, and the threats they pose to native species, humans and so on. They've taken the most ridiculous hypothesis and extrapolated them into "could", "can", "might", "possibly", "potentially", and so forth to now draft legislation we're all too familiar with, from Florida's FWC crap, to the Federal Government's so called scientific study, that was tainted from the beginning.
Even the poor child that died from allegedly being strangled by an Albino Burm' was distorted and inaccurate. THAT incident was the catalyst that started all the crazy and unenforceable restrictions we now have in Florida, that serves for a precedent to Federal drafted proposals. Fact of the matter is, the infant "suffocated" (officially) from the likely warmth the animal was getting by laying over her, next to her, and so on. There was no evidence that the Python was not "squeezing" or trying to harm the child. The real harm was the idiots the poor child had for parents. But now we're living with the hype this incident generated for legislation built on misleading facts. This is typical, and such tactics are repeated over and over.
Senator Nelson, South Florida Water Management, and other special interest who have "financial" dogs in this fight, that is paid for by TAXPAYER funds (us), is what is going on. Has NOTHING to do with Python threats. That is a ploy. A sham. A lie. Unfortunately, the Liberal Media supports this, without any real investigation, and we are where we are today because of it. "If it bleeds it leads." Anything to demonize and sensationalize an animal that PBS Nature goes out of their way to use extremely LOW angle camera shots, on STAGED scenes with a passive (captive) Pythons, while schools of people drive by in the background -- to imply an "invasion."
The REAL ISSUE we must all deal with, besides the immediate Vote against any Python banning legislation, is the IMPLICATIONS it has for EVERYTHING we all hold dear. Are we going to continue to let these life time politicians throw a LABEL on something we have lived with, cared for and built businesses around, so that special interest corporations who FUND these politician's elections can have their way? Or are we going to get PISSED and do something about it? I am not
These bans are never going to happen. They could ban all pets and that wouldn't stop me from keeping them.
All the facts are out. This is NOT the answer.
We all hear about the problems in Southern Florida and the rare horrific death from snake constriction because the press loves that kind of news. Then the lawmakers try to jump on it because they don't know what to do. Banning all constrictors is not the answer though.
One of the many facts that no lawmaker understands is that there is no boa or python that can even live if the temps get below 40 degrees. They will all die. Therefore they cannot populate, breed or even live in any state in the US - except the southern tip of Florida.
Lawmakers --- please read the facts.
Responsible reptile owners - please try to get your lawmakers to read and understand the facts.
I have worked as a snake conservationist for nearly 10 years and I can say with the uttermost confidence that the pet trade is among the worse threats that snakes face. Anyone who tries to deny that is clearly deluded or simply ignorant. I have lectured about this issue many times at schools, including speaks for university students. I also lecture vet assistant students at St Lawrence College about how detrimental the pet trade is to reptiles. I use all my media appearances and public talks to speak out against this terribly exploitive trade. www.the-snake-man.com/pet-trade-horrors.html
One additional note:
To the person who overstated how the pythons are affecting the everglades:
There are many vastly more damaging species out there...mostly plants.
The only reason Burmese pythons have no 'natural predators' in the Everglades is because they are not native. They have TONS of predators in the Everglades, including raccoons, opossums, hawks, weasels, wading birds...well, I'll just stop now, and point out that anything that eats rat snakes will also eat baby Burms. As for the older animals, alligators find them delicious. For every alligator eaten by a Burm, it's a sure bet the alligators eat dozens of Burms. Burmese pythons prefer warm-blooded prey, that's why they have heat-sensing pits on their faces. Burms have provided an unexpectedly rich food source for gators. The famous photo of a gator sticking out of a Burm's belly? The snake was dead because another gator had bitten off its head. Current studies show that Burms are replace mid-level predators such as bobcats in the Everglades. Bobcats had been in decline, and their prey species were overpopulating, and threatening endangered reptiles, turtles, and yes, even alligators, by eating their eggs. So, it's actually possible that the Burms are stabilizing the Everglades ecosystem more than they are damaging it.
Another animal that's happy to see the big snakes: the endangered Indigo snake is a snake-eater, and baby burms are on the menu.
There are hundreds of invasive species living in the Everglades--somewhere around 50% of the animals and plants there are non-natives. Most of these have had a far worse impact than the Burmese python. It's all politics, folks. 100%. They don't pose a threat to humans, and they're a drop in the bucket in the severely damaged Everglades environment. Don't let them fool you.
Laughable, "the government" can't get their own business right but we think they're going to get something ELSE right ? It's really our own fault at the end of the day folks. Afterall, who voted these Marxists into office ? Who is it that thinks it's "the govts" job to protect us from ourselves with "laws" ? Welcome to the new "progressive" U.S.S. of A. !
These animals pose no threat to the environment outside of South Florida, where they already exist. This is a money grab attempt by the greedy politicians and Florida FWS. Florida has already put regulations in place. Stopping interstate transport will not keep pythons out of any State, they are already kept in all States where they are currently legal. It will only destroy businesses and gut an industry.
It will create a large population of homeless pythons, however. What will happen to those?
The Lacey Act is not a toy for these people to play with. Vote no.
Invasive species have been a problem since Europeans arrived in the New World. Foreign human diseases from Europe wiped out civilizations (http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/3191-the-mayan-civilization-time-line). Foreign flora from Asia decimated Appalachian forests (http://www.acf.org/). Foreign fish damaged the Mississippi basin (http://dnr.wi.gov/org/gmu/mississippi/invasives.htm). And now foreign fauna are threatening to topple the natural order in Florida.
By all means - STOP THE MADNESS!!!! Not only should pythons and other non-native snakes be HIGHLY REGULATED, they should all be treated as varmints and subject to prejudicial TERMINATION!!!
It is obvious that most people here ARE NOT educated on exactly what is happening to the everglades, in part because of these snakes. Trade ban is being proposed because PEOPLE who do not want these snakes anymore are simply let them go. These snakes' natural home IS NOT here in Florida!! They have NO natural predators, which means they breeed and mutiply with no natural force to balance their population. In fact, they are preying on the local wildlife, much of which is already endangered. Has anyone seen the video where pythons are now eating American alligators? http://youtu.be/IckkZVwShd4
This is very scary, the one predator able to somewhat control the big snake population and now the alligators are becoming the prey. I urge everyone here to do more reading on this topic.
I cant believe some of the ignorant comments obviously coming form those that KNOW NOTHING about the EVERGLADES whatsoever. I was raised in the Everglades, going back to the 50's...and this was the most pristine place in the World. And now some of these ignorant commentors want the GOVERNMENT to stay out of it. Thank God were making an effort to restore this once tranquil natural environment that so many IGNORANT people have destroyed. They destroyed my/our place of refuge...not only ours but the natural species from plant life to animal life and much more...the ecosystem as a whole. For those that are bent on sitting back and doing nothing...just stay out of our EVERGLADES and dont come near it!!!
BTW Robby Blaze lives in Kingston, Ontario?
Hmmm we are discussing an American ban on reptiles...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001757139231
I have a better idea, let's ban uneducated people. Robby, you obviously know nothing more than what PETA has jammed into your head. If you vote yes, don't you dare say you care about this country. You want your freedoms, but want to take others freedoms away. On top of that, how many businesses are based off of breeding and selling ball pythons? You, sir, are a liberal ass. My snakes, like many others are a hobby, and when needed, an educational tool. If someone acts scared, I do not force the snake upon them, I cover the snakes head and step back. I do this because I'm scared to death of spiders, and I would hope for the same courtesy from spider owners. I may not like them, but you know what? I'm being considerate of a fellow animal enthusiast and say, "it's your right to emerse yourself, as deep as you like, in your hobbies and interests." So what this boils down to is another case of uneducated people voting, a certain 2008 election rings a bell. See how that went?
Robby fuck off
@anyone and everyone that thinks these exotic snakes can live anywhere outside of these 5 counties that they already inhabit in the Everglades, do your research, they cannot. If a snake is found in your state, and its NOT southern Florida then it either just escaped or someone set it free because they CANNOT survive lower than 60 degree temps for more than a few days. They do NOT hibernate, they just die. As far as everyone that owns them setting them free because they have been banned really doesnt undersatnd how the "BAN" works, That will stop "FUTURE" trade and transport, it has nothing to do with ownership. Those that own them will still be allowed to keep them, they just wont be allowed to move them across state lines or sell them in any way, and no more will be allowed into the country. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CURRENT OWNERSHIP! Thank you for being so ignorant that you commented on a subject before even knowing all the details. Makes you look real intelligent. And just for public record, my animals are not neglected in any way, and i do have all the correct permits for my animals, and have gone through all the legal "hoops" so to speak just to keep my animals and now you wanna strip me of my rights as an American?
IM AM JUST SAYING THIS NOW! WHEN AND IF THE GOVERNMENT EVER BANS EXOTICS/ETC. MOST HERPERS WILL LET THEIR SNAKES GO. THEN WE WILL HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM. THEREFORE, THE IDEA IS EXTREMELY STUPID UNLESS THEY ARE TRYING TO KILL OFF ALL NATIVE SPECIES OF ANIMALS IN AMERICA... thank you for reading my opinion. i breed snakes and make money off them as well so if this happened i would not have a job..
I am an owner of a Reptile education company. We teach kids and adults every day about how fear can cause you to be predigest and that with just a little education we can all learn to get along. The kids and the adults after one of our shows come away with important information that has changed so many peoples beliefs that snakes and reptiles are horrible and evil and slimy creatures. With in just a few minuets with one in there hands they understand just how wonderful they are. Banning a reptile because someone was negligent or abusive or because they were released on accident in a hurricane makes no sense at all. The Pythons are there they are not going to go away if we ban them ...but they are dyeing off from the cold without our help...so why would we take an isolated incident that only affects one small place in the US and tell everyone in the US they were not responsible enough to own one ever again. Yet they let people have kids that have no right having even own a gold fish... If they would micro chip and document the sale of the animals that would resolve the issue they could fine people and make the money they all so desperately want...still would do nothing for the existing ones in the wild but was that ever the real problem or is it all about finding a way for someone to make more $?
O and I live in Texas so if that automatically makes me a Redneck then I am one very proud redneck!...
Burms were first found in the 'glades as far back as 1975. Banning boids in captivity in 2011 is going to change the situation HOW??? Nothing but fear mongering, exploitation, and a platform to further agendas and hurt those of us who are both passionate and responsible.
I have a better idea. Ban PETA.
This is a prime example of politicians and Animal Rights activists creating a false dragon to fight in order to gain donations and media exposure. Anybody who is for taking away peoples rights to responsibly own the animals they like should go live in a country that is run by a dictatorship. This is America where are supposed to be able to pursue life, liberty and Happiness, Remember?
If keeping a python responsibly does that for people then let them have them and not have to constantly be worried about being treated like criminals. Any politician that sponsors Animal ownership ban legislation should be voted out of office immediately. This is one major indicator that the politician is just on the take for their own personal interests. The animal rights groups like HSUS and PETA are nothing more than cash grabbing machines that take funding out of the pockets of real shelters and rescue groups. If your local politicians are catering to lobbyists that are from these two groups vote them out. They are corrupt!
"Good luck trying to tell me that it's right to imprison ANY animal, they were here long before we were."
There you go again, Robby: you're not convincing as just a guy who wants to exploit fear of reptiles, because the quote above involves you admitting yet again that you want pet ownership COMPLETELY abolished, as opposed to just nontraditional animals.
And with your other reply, which you could've meshed in with your previous one, I never said ANYTHING about supporting animal abuse or using a snake as a trophy. So thanks again, this time, for putting words in my mouth.
So what is everyone supposed to do if a law is ever passed banning our beloved pythons? Everyone has these dogs......there are 800,000 serious dog injuries a year......there are only 7,000 non fatal snake bites a year with 15 fatal bites a year so what is the problem? My snakes are part of my family. I love them more than many other people. I have taught myself everything I know since I was 14....thats a long time.....I have brought them and taught with them at girl scout clubs and cubs scout clubs. I have taken in so many rescues there are never any abandoned snakes in my town they all come to me. But yet we always have cops called because of dogs running around trying to bite people and fight other people's pets. The ones who voted yes are just uneducated. I have taught 12 year olds about these creatures so therefore I can easily teach someone with the mentality of a 5 year old. Good job calling us python owners "rednecks" I'm not sure but do I sound like a redneck to anyone? I think not. Before you vote and ruin so many people's lives take the time and look at the facts.
How can you say you love snakes when you support the abuse, neglect, exploitation, and the obvious problems of places like the Everglades?? You are nothing but someone who wants to hold a snake as a trophy. Animals belong in the wild, not on shelves.
This isn't just about snakes or reptiles, I speak about all animals. This is a poll about banning PYTHONS not cats and dogs. Good luck trying to tell me that it's right to imprison ANY animal, they were here long before we were.
They have had a ban on large constrictors in NY for years and people walk downtown with there snakes! Who is going to inforce these laws with all the budget cut backs? Our senator. Nelson is an idiot and hopefully be voted out office! I may have to move in with Jeff Ronne if this keeps up!
As many of the comments before have stated, it's not the pythons that are the problem, it's the people. I am a Florida resident with a permit to own Burmese Pythons. I take great care of my pythons and show them greater respect then many of my friends that own cats & dogs. I am a snake lover first and foremost, but I am also a license Burmese Python Hunter with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission. I hunt in the Everglades every weekend, and to date I have only captured 10 pythons. They are not in the hundred thousands as claimed. They are beautiful snakes with a bad rap and it sickens me that such a ban is being considered.
The government should just stop touching stuff they always seem to ruin stuff when they do.
For example name one successful social service offered by America? I'll wait for an answer once we turn America around!
To anyone who voted yes....you are obviously uneducated about Pythons. Do a little research and see which animals are more likely to cause injury to humans....horses, dogs, cattle,...should we ban them as well? Just because you don't "like" reptiles doesn't give you the right to prevent others from owning and keeping them. Of course anyone who neglects, mistreats, or releases into the wild a non-native species, should be punished to the full extent of the law.
If you're going to ban these animals based on certain 'facts' and 'statistics' then there might as well be a ban on dogs and cats and most other animals too because those same 'facts' and 'statistics' being used against snakes could also be used against everyone's beloved pooches and felines and most of them in a more accurate manner.
Feral dogs and cats cause the same, if not more damage then these invading snakes have in the Everglades. And why are they feral? Because unresponsible owners have let them loose to fend for themselves. So should we ban or require permits on puppies and kitties?
Big snakes are dangerous - yes - they have the potential to be extremely dangerous animals. But more people are killed by dogs, horses, bees, spiders, and other animals each year then by large constrictors. Yet I see no one slapping those facts down on a table in an attempt to ban horses.
This act is truly and wrongly being led on by misinformed and fearful people, most who would possibly change their mind if the media would expose the good side of these amazing reptiles, or if they had the chance to experience these creatures for themselves.
I take my snakes out to a child correctional facility's pet center - there they have several types of animals for the children to learn responsibility from by taking care of them. The woman who runs the program can not thank me enough. She always tells me how much the kids have improved since my visit, how much more eager they are to learn and study things all because of my snakes. She tells me a lot of the kids learned how to overcome a fear because of them, and that a lot of the kids look up to me and whatnot. That's all thanks to my snakes, yet you'll never heard that sort of story about snakes in the news. Had my big 7ft boa bit one of the kids though, I'm sure it'd had been in the paper the next day.
This ban isn't the answer.
just leave shit alone!your not gonna take all our rights away so just stop the bullshit!
There is zero scientific bearing to the notion that this is a federal issue. Burmese pythons in the Everglades are a state of Florida issue thus far confined only to 3 counties in the southernmost tip of Florida. Federal regulations are not needed for what is a localized problem and will do nothing pragmatic on the ground to address it. The state of Florida has already addressed this issue by effectively outlawing Reptiles of Concern (ROC’s). By comparison, both feral cats, and swine are both far more widespread and ecologically destructive “invasive” species worldwide.
There have now been several published papers and research that thoroughly debunk claims made that pythons are capable of inhabiting the southern third of the continental U.S. Burmese pythons are tropical S.E Asian species, not temperate zone animals. 9 out of 10 pythons died in a S. FL study by Dorcas et all, while all pythons in an Aiken SC study died despite being provided heated artificial refugia. Even 95% of the African rock pythons are suspected to have already been extirpated by the weather according to Scott Hardin and FWC exotic species coordinators. We won't be seeing any "Man eating super snakes" invading the U.S.A. anytime in the forseeable future.
The non peer reviewed, internally generated grey literature USGS report, which this entire federal rule making is based upon, has been widely debunked by an independent panel of 11 herpetologists and other respected scientists as “unscientific”, and “not suitable for the basis of legislative or regulatory action”. Even Michael Bean of Department of Interior (DOI) has stated the Lacey Act is an entirely inadequate tool for the job at hand.
Hey Justin Brown, how about not allowing dogs to be pets then???
http://www.realpitbull.com/abuse.html
Sorry, I had to post it. People need to be aware that abuse and neglect is
a bullshit excuse to ban snakes.
http://www.youtube.com/user/1softkiss?feature=mhee
Don't people understand that these bans will ruin the opportunity for your children and their children to have the same wonderful learning experience I've had for 50 years and this will take away the children's chances to make a difference and learn to fight for the things they love and want to preserve so they have a future other than one dictated by others? Don't people accept ANY responsibility for the doom of our environment and the devastation these such actions will cause for the future? Do you REALLY want your children to NOT have the opportunity we've all had to learn from these animals and feel the pride in teaching and educating others? Do you really want to accept FULL responsibility for taking this away from your future and your children's? THINK ABOUT IT !!! Stop the killing and stop trying to destroy what's left of our environment and cease with the POWER PLAYS!!!
justin brown has no clue what he is talking about and the website is nearlly completly false
Snakes should not be pets. http://www.the-snake-man.com/pet-trade-horrors.html
The statement that "animals don't belong in homes" goes against scientific research. Pet ownership has been proven to help people lower blood pressure and help fight depression. For people who have allergies to furred animals, reptile ownership is a viable option. If pythons are banned, that opens the door to banning other reptiles, as well.
I have several types of reptiles as pets, and many of them are rescues that others either no longer wanted or didn't take good care of. They are all wonderful pets, and I love them as much as I do my furry pets. To think that the government could regulate which of them I could have is a very scary thing.
This Ban is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of, The majority of snakes sold in the US for pets, are types that won't get over 6 feet. Yes there are dealers that sell Burmese and Reticulated but those are seen far less often and if the person selling those animals bothered to make sure the customer buying it understood what they were asking for this situation would never have come about in this manner. There are three types of snakes that are common in the pet trade, the Ball Python (largest ever recorded a 6 foot female that was no larger around than the average persons upper arm) the common Corn snake a creature found across the north american continent they reach 6 feet as well they only get to be maybe the diameter or the average child's wrist. And finally the King snake, which is again indigenous to the Americas and across the globe, is one of the few snakes that in the wild will eat other snakes regardless of type they'll eat Corn's they'll eat Rattle snakes which helps keep populations of unwanted snakes and vermin under control. I know that this ban speaks more specifically to Pythons but if the government takes away our right to own one species of snake what makes you think they will stop there and start saying we can't own Boas or Corns or Kings or Milks or hell even the common Garter snake. And with a quick little bird walk towards Wayne's comment dangerous dogs, such as Pit bulls and Rottweilers, really I get that those breeds have histories for being aggressive and or fighting dogs but to say that they as a breed specifically are dangerous is just as uneducated as anyone saying that pythons are dangerous and shouldn't be allowed to be kept as pets. Its not the breed its not the animal that makes them dangerous, Its the idiot that makes these creatures fearful for their lives and their homes that creates these problems whether it happens to be a horse, a dog, a bird, it doesn't matter. We need to educate and open our selves as a whole, the entire planet every person because if we close our minds or decide to not bother learning about this or that, that is when we become the wild stupid dangerous animal that needs to have bans and laws passed against the keeping of them.
We will soon stop looking at the states as the "free country" you will end up getting as regulated as us or more.
Robby, why should your comment be kept in consideration about banning just reptiles if you just admitted that you want ALL pet ownership outlawed? I quote: "Animals don't belong in homes."
And for your information, I am not a redneck; in fact, I live in New England, whereas only idiots think that they are the majority of the population outside of the South. And I don't own a reptile, either, so thanks for stereotyping people who oppose this for general political reasons, such as me.
Robby..."ignorant rednecks"? First off I have owned snake for over 27 + yrs and am a well educated woman who lives in New Jersey! These snakes CAN NOT live much further north in the wild then then Florida! They are TROPICAL species and would not be able to handle the harsh winters of the majority of the US. Why don't you try to educate YOURSELF about the animals and their responsible owners (not just the small few that do something stupid and give the rest of us a bad name) before YOU make ignorant statements like that. USARK.org is a GREAT place to start!:)
Robby, then ban Dogs and Cats... More of them are neglected and let go every year than snakes were in the past 5 years... Maybe more... Neglect and release has no impact when it comes to snakes over dogs and cats... Want to talk about an invasive species that is damaging and dangerous to the ecosystem and the public combined... Simple, look at your neighbor's cat or dog...
I wouldn't let ignorance trample people's rights... After all, what kills more people a year? Dogs or Snakes? I honestly would rather try to get an angry large Boa, Burm, or Retic out of the cage and take the bites than be pieced back together after a Dog attack...
And its not banning them because they injure people, its banning them from the pet trade to stop assholes from neglecting them and releasing them into other ecosystems.
Of course you should ban them. No they won't help the florida everglades, but if we wouldn't of been retarded before the everglades wouldnt of happened in the first place. History repeats itself and just because things have happened in florida doesn't mean it won't in other places. The only people who can argue that point with me are ignorant rednecks who just want to look bad ass with a snake even though its animal cruelty. Animals don't belong in homes.
Don't ban snakes. Horses injure and kill more people. Try banning them first.
wayne that is a great idea.people that want snakes of this size need to be very educated about them and understand that when you are in the petstore and you get this pretty little 24 inch albino burmese python that you carry it home and keep it 4 or 5 years that it is not going to be this pretty little 24 inch snake any more that it will grow to legnths upto16, 18 ft and weigh alot and cannot be handled by just one person anymore..
LISTEN PEOPLE IF YOU WANT A BURMESE OR A RETICULATED PYTHON OR ANYOTHER LARGE BREED OF SNAKE PLEASE AND I INFORCE PLEASE GET EDUCATED BEFORE YOU GO OUT AND PURCHASE THAT SNAKE YOU CAN LOOK UP THE SNAKE OF YOUER CHOICE ON THE INTERNET AD GET INFORMED ALL BY YOUR SELF AND THEN YOU CAN MAKE A CHOICE WEATHER OR NOT YOU WANT AND NEED A LARGE BREED SNAKE. REALLY THINK IT OVER.
i am not trying to be a hard ass but if people that have snakes/ pytons and they get to where they dont want them any more they can get intouch with alot of people that would want that snake but no they make it bad for everyone else that love this great hobby by turning snakes loose into the wild thus making a vicious creature that doesnt no any better.i am like another guy that posted on here. regulate it by a permit system and not totally ban it. that would upset alot of people that do bust there ass to do right and take upmost care of there snakes .just beacuse someone wanted a look at piece that they really dont need and dont have the knowledge to have it in the first place.. i hope i didnt offend anyone but this is the way i feel.
i can be contacted on facebook by jim eller or by e-mail at james_llr@yahoo.com feel free to drop me a line. talk to you all later.
I concur with the above statement and have been preaching this everyday!!! Let us not forget about dangerous dogs, the pits, rottweilers!! Start to educate, and start to understand before you have a knee-jerk reaction! The nation is mainly made up of idiots anyway. We must do all we can to educate the poorly informed.