USARK Enjoys Coming Out Party at Daytona





In the wake of a meeting of many of the top leaders from the reptile

industry in Chicago back in April, an industry advocate and leader has

emerged; the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK). The

reptile industry now has a voice and the tools to effectively represent the

interest of all those interested in maintaining the right to own and trade

in reptiles. The summer has been spent putting together the infrastructure

of the corporation, electing officers apppointing a Board of Directors,

building a website and creating a positive image for USARK. We are now ready

to meet the public. SHHS is the first forum that we are making the

announcement in because the organization we modeled USARK from (NCARK) has

received great support from SHHS members and we feel a strong connection and

loyalty to this very professional group.



Mission:

The US Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) is a science and education

based advocacy for the responsible private ownership of, and trade in

reptiles. We endorse caging standards, sound husbandry, escape prevention

protocols, and an integrated approach to vital conservation issues. Our goal

is to facilitate cooperation between government agencies, the scientific

community, and the private sector in order to produce policy proposals that

will effectively address important husbandry and conservation issues. The

health of these animals, public safety, and maintaining ecological integrity

are our primary concerns.



Our approach to advocacy we consider to be the 1-2 Punch of grass roots

politics.



1. Articulate our positions on critical issues to legislators or government

agencies through attorneys, lobbyists and scientists.



2. Underpin that position with a groundswell of grass roots support from the

masses of the industry and hobby.



It is a formula that worked beautifully at the state level. USARK is our

vehicle to enforce the will of the reptile community.



There have been many naysayers, both within and outside our community. Some

did not think the reptile folks could work together well enough to get the

organization off the ground. We have proved them wrong! Many of the large

players in the industry have already come aboard. If you were in Daytona you

saw all the USARK/Reptile Nation T-shirts being worn by the biggest vendors.





Join 'The Reptile Nation'... Join USARK and let's all work together to

protect our right to own and trade in reptiles!



Andrew Wyatt

president@...

www.usark.org

252-207-1041

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• Crosspost: USARK Enjoys Coming Out Party - EricWI, Sat Aug 30 22:39:47 2008