THE TOWN TALK (Alexandria, Louisiana) 21 December 09 Louisiana snake breeder says he's in Oakdale to stay (Bret H. McCormick)

Oakdale: David Beauchemin has set up shop and has no plans to go anywhere.

Beauchemin, who lives on Ward Road just south of Oakdale in Allen Parish, has run a snake breeding farm over the Internet, HighEndHerps.com, with wife Tawni for the past several years.

The Web site bills itself as "the most trusted name in private high-end reptile breeding."

But the business has drawn its share of complaints from around Allen Parish, said Grant Willis, the chief deputy for the Allen Parish Sheriff's Office.

Willis said law enforcement officers in the parish are well aware of the Beauchemins and their business.

Sheriff's deputies have received complaints "in spurts" -- mostly what Willis termed "rumors" about missing dogs and cats that people say the couple has taken to feed their snakes.

When the Beauchemins first arrived in Allen Parish about four years ago, there were plenty of complaints. As time passed, they died down, but Willis said the complaints have picked up again recently.

"We try to check into all complaints and try to validate them," Willis said.

So far, however, deputies have been unable to verify any broken laws.

The Beauchemins keep their property gated off with plenty of "no trespassing" signs plastered throughout the wooded area.

Without probable cause, Willis said, authorities cannot go beyond the Beauchemins' gate to see precisely what is taking place back in the woods.

"It appears the guy abides by all of the laws," Willis said. "Louisiana has very vague laws. That's one of the reasons the guy moved here."

Beauchemin, who didn't respond to attempts to contact him, specializes in high-end snake species such as pythons, boa constrictors and anacondas. High End Herps even advertises its own "creation" -- a pastel ceylonese python "morph" that had been specifically bred at the Allen Parish snake farm.

High End Herps lists a number of different breeds of snakes available through its Web site, ranging from $175 to more than $6,000. Its special python "morph" costs $2,500.

Lt. Jesse Savoie with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said the state has specific laws for trafficking local reptiles, but there aren't any laws pertaining to the type of business being run by the Beachemins.

"This is really new territory," Savoie said. "Now with the advance of time and the procurement of exotic species throughout the world, this guy can get a hold of exotic species from afar. With FedEx and UPS, with the shipping industry as it is, there's little problem for him to procure exotic species. It's new territory for the state of Louisiana because laws have not been enacted."

Savoie said the trafficking of exotic species "is a problem that is expanding" and one that the state might need to look into addressing with new laws. For now, though, the LDWF has no issues with High End Herps.

"We have no evidence that he is trafficking native species," Savoie said.

The authorities do hear the complaints from the public, who seem to have a problem with the Beauchemins' business, however.

"Down on the field level, there is no problem. However, the public is the one that is calling in expressing they have a problem with it," Savoie said. "That's the source of the controversy -- the public. They have a problem with it, and maybe some of his alleged activities."

Despite the controversy, the tone on the Beauchemins' Web site suggests they have no plans to stop doing business.

"This is not just a business or a means of an income to us," the Web site reads. "It is more about these amazing animals and the truly wonderful people that keep them. This IS our life and we live it 24 hours a day every day of every year."
Louisiana snake breeder says he's in Oakdale to stay

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• LA Press: Breeder says he's staying - W von Papineäu, Thu Dec 24 12:03:55 2009