Posted by:
Ravenspirit
at Tue Jan 12 21:08:48 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Ravenspirit ]
I am personally still without a printer because my computer is having issues, BUT I copied my stuff to disk, went to my local kinkos, and printed a bunch of stuff, including my letters to our 2 senators. In total, it cost me around 40.00$.
In addition to my personal letters to the senators, I copied some of these - www.boasbyklevitz.com/flyer.pdf
And a bucketload of these - www.boasbyklevitz.com/mini.pdf
And some of the form letters. http://www.kill-s373.com/
THEN, I went around and tried to get signatures....got a few, and met with some surprises...
Petsmart - Our local one had no bulletin board, and they wouldn't let me post anything on a door, or leave fliers somewhere for people to take. The manager was polite, took one of the fliers from me and said she would hang it in the break room. 2 other herp owning staffers, sighed a letter to each senator, and took info to give out themselves. They seemed very interested, and that was great to see.
Superpets - Again, said they couldn't let me post anything, but the entire crew sighed individual letters for me to send, and they let me post the flier with the handouts on their bulletin board. They were polite, and so far the most supportive.
Petco - Basically threw me out when I asked if they had heard about this. One person in particular was very unpleasant towards me, even though she claims to own pythons. Apparently doesn't think this will affect her, just "breeders who have no place having these animals to begin with" They also pulled down and threw out the stuff I had put up on the bulletin board - I saw this happen as I was leaving. Other Petco was almost as bad, but I did leave a flier with handouts on the bulletin board.
None of these places will allow me to "solicit", so I can't take one of my snakes and try to get people to sign anything, or even go without the snake, or just go and hand out information there.
I will try bringing some of these letter with me to "That Fish Place" tomorrow. I hope for more luck there, but I am cautious to expect it. I figure because they are independent, and that they sell anacondas, boas, burms, afrocks and retics, they might be more willing to let me get signatures there, and post the info around for folks to see. (someone might have even beat me to it, I haven't been down there in a few months)
Its amazing HOW MANY of these places SELL these snakes, (especially boas, and I know petsmart sells ball pythons now) and from what I am seeing, none of these "corporations" will lift a finger. I guess I "understand" that they "can't allow" people to be soliciting, but it is disappointing that no one will get "their hands dirty" over preventing this, even if they make profits selling these animals to people.
I am shocked how many people have never even heard about this bill, including those who are snake owners. I know its been all I have been talking about as of late.
Has anyone though about doing this at the next herp show here in PA this weekend ? http://www.northernberksreptileshow.com/
I don't know if I'll be able to attend, but I would expect they would allow folks to be there with form letters to our senators getting signatures, so they could overnight them or whatever to Tom Wolfe ? I'd be a great place to raise awareness and rally signatures ?
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