On Tuesday, February 16, Florida’s Senate Environmental Preservation & Conservation Committee will hold a hearing to consider Senate bill 318. If passed, this bill will prohibit ownership & trade of all of the animals addressed by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Reptiles of Concern (ROC) statute. The statute requires permitting, secure caging and micro-chipping. The statute is well thought out and was just recently implemented. It should be allowed to work before the “baby is thrown out with the bath water”. USARK has been engaged on this issue working closely with FWC to improve the statute and increase compliance. We have attended FWC Commission mettings and ROC TAG meetings. S318 would negate all of the efforts of FWC and the Reptile Industry without regard. USARK is currently cooperating with FWC ROC regulations and sponsoring a 24/7 Amnesty Program to bring more stake holders into compliance. S318 would cost jobs and threaten the environmental integrity it seeks to protect. USARK suggests that the Committee Staff listen to the recommendations of FWC and the ROC TAG Committee.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) supports the all out ban of reptiles in Florida and hopes to set precedent for the entire country. They care little for the actual issues, but seek to exploit opportunities to push for the end of all animal ownership and use. HSUS is lobbying hard for S318 in Florida even though they had a position on the ROC TAG Committee they are now attempting to circumvent.

Send a Letter to the EPC Committee and Governor Crist TODAY!

USARK opposes S318. The reptile community must fight together and participate in the USARK grass roots campaign against this ill conceived bill. Please click here to fight S318.

usark.org/campaign.php?id=11


For questions or help contact:

Andrew Wyatt
president@usark.org

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Andrew Wyatt
President USARK

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