Georgia tried to pass a law based off of Florida's current legislation. It made no sense what so ever! We do not have a problem in Georgia, in fact microchipping and requiring an expensive licensing fee would create the very conditions necessary to establish an invasive species. If the requirements of the laws or regulations are not easily achievable, if they are not reasonable, then "at risk pet owners" will have an excuse to dump them in mass! Once regulations take affect how can a pet owner re-home his pet? Could you imagine what would happen if we started requiring microchipping and a $100 plus annual licensing fee in order to keep a cat? The market will be flooded with snakes and who in their right mind would hand over their pet to the Government when they know that the animal will be euthanized.

And what is the justification? Animal control records do not indicate a public threat, especially when compared to dogs and cats. Animal Damage Control (nuisance wild life trapping) and shelter records (Georgia requires the reporting of every animal trapped or collected) doesn't indicate a problem with loose or feral snakes either. There just isn't any factual justification, just accusations in the form of "scientific support":

"Unable to handle their giant snakes, and unable to find new homes for them, some owners illegally release them into the wild." http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw286

Where is the justification for such a statement? Granted, pet dumping is a contributing factor, but to what extent and what does the data say to support such a claim? And, if this is the basis to ruin an industry and kill thousands of wanted pets that have lived for years in suitable homes then someone had better start backing up such a statement.

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