I don't like the scare mongering thing but on the other hand, as much of a freedom loving libertarian that I am I think limited regulations (ie hot permits) could be useful to an extent to protect us in the long run.

This idiot who obviously had no business owning a worm much less a Gaboon viper has potentially screwed things up for people in pennsylvania and possibly elsewhere as well.

On the other side of the coin however, as much as like the permit system for hots here in Fl. the requirement of having a 1000 hrs of experience with hots to get the permit is a bit of a hurdle and does cause people to ignore the permits system altogether and just get what they want out of state and be underground about it. Ironically enough this can cause the exact scenario the fear mongers are crying about and in fact it has here in fl.

The first year I was here (1995) there was an incident in Melbourne Fl. where somebody was working in their flower bed and encountered an albino cobra. they were fortunately not bitten. It turns out that there was some yahoo...unlicensed.....who was keeping a bunch of hots in his apartment in a makeshift rack system and if my memory is correct he had more than one snake escape from him. I certainly don't think permit systems are the answer to all potential problems and quite honestly considering how herpers have been thrown under the bus here in fl. with the roc thing I only reluctantly like the idea of permits, I also realize that the wild west attitude that has gone on for years with hots in pennsylvania could only end up hurting us all in the long run. That said the Northwestern Berks venomous show is a really cool show, if you haven't ever been to it you should go while you still have a chance.

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