good news for all PA herpers. i spoke with the executive director of the game and fisheries committee yesterday. he told me there is no intention to even bring any of the anti reptile and bills up for a vote. i also spoke with him about the large constrictor ban that will most likely be proposed next year and he said its very unlikely that it will go anywhere as well. as long as we are responsible here in PA we have nothing to worry about, but if a kid gets killed or they start to find a bunch of abandoned reptiles these bills will start to move. i let the director know about the AR groups, which he already knew a lot about them. when i brought up hsus he immediately said about how little they give to animal shelters. but the main reason i talked to him about the AR groups is becasue we have already had two burms found here in PA this year. i told him, i think the burms were most likely released to get bad media attention for the reptile industry here in PA, and we ( the reptile industry) would offer any help we could to try and find out who and where they came from. and we would help in any other cases that may accrue. i think we will be seeing more reptiles released here in PA in the next 6 to 8 months to help push he AR groups agenda. so PA people be on the look out. the main reason these bills here in PA arnt moving is because the fish and boat commission would be the ones enforcing them, and they have opposed all of them. we need to thank them and help them in any way we can. usark and wyatt have contacted some politicians here in PA. ive talked to most of them and let them know usark and wyatt do not represent the PA reptile and amphibian breeders, nor do we support his bmp's. i spoke with senator alloways office yesterday. they informed me that they have called wyatt and let him know that they will not be amending hb1398 as he asked. keep in mind wyatt already knows the bill cant affect reptiles, so i think he had ulterior motives in pushing for an amendment. plus they couldnt do the amendment anyways because it would have been unconstitutional, according to the executive director of the game and fisheries. so everyone needs to thank wyatt for petitioning a PA senator to break the law. way to make the reptile industry look like it has its act together. so at the end of the year if you see wyatt claiming another victory in PA like he did last year you can be sure its a lie and usark had nothing to do with the bills not going anywhere. on a side note. terry wilkins needs your support in ohio. it looks like that bill is going to pass and they will need to take it to court. like usual, usark will not be filing a lawsuit, and the reptile community will be left to fight this battle on their own, even after all the money they have donated to usark over the years. terry is looking for a lawyer right now. if you can help out in any way please do

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]