Hello Chris,



Thank You very much for Your prompt response(s) - it is greatly appreciated! I did in fact check all around on the Division of Commercial Fisheries Home Page but to no avail. I tried searching for email contacts, but they're all numbers which I will get to calling soon.



"...just say you have a variety of nontraditional pets..." - I like this! Heh, but I, too, already thought of going around the direct subject of concern: snakes and asking about unusual pets in general. Indeed, it is just like getting an apartment which always specify the rules/regulations on cats and dogs but never caged animals, and I've just slid them through under the radar...technically, they're to blame for being lazy in specifying ALL types of animals!



I, too, believe mentioning snakes specifically could raise unfair discrimination and even cause people to "white-lie" the laws/rules/regulations in their favour which, of course, they could be slammed in court for. Or, indeed, one's irrational fear could entice them to raise interest in a possible ban on serpents just because...curse preconceived notions and phobias!



"DO NOT LIE about what you have..." - indeed agreed! Honesty is a strong value of mine, thus I uphold it as fair and necessary; however, should I feel--and my intuition is sharp!--that one could "white-lie" the laws/rules/regulations to screw me over, I may fight fire with fire...after all, two negatives make a positive in algebra, so why not in Life Itself?



Upon inquiry of what I have exactly, perhaps I would start off with something like 'harmless reptiles' but which would clearly make them demand specification. Or maybe I could use my New England-native amphibians...! But then, I should just say 'harmless herps' to begin with, for I would then look like an idiot calling calling reptiles amphibians, ha!



Lastly in agreement, I, too, have thought there to be NO real/logical/legitimate/rational reasons to ban herps, for I thought the same: if-and-when any animals did escape, even in 80-90 degree southern AK during summer, they wouldn't last long. Thus, such northern areas (near or through the Arctic Circle) ALL around the world should allow most--if not all--herps in my opinion.



Thanks again for Your time and input!!



Sincerely,

Timothy



>>I would check with the state's department of agriculture or equivalent and ask about livestock importation laws/regulations...and also ask for a contact to, uh, contact regarding pet laws/regulations. Then I would try to talk to someone at the city/local level for the desired area.



I would ask for a link to the pertinent regulations WITHOUT mentioning snakes specifically, just that you want to read all the regs yourself. If they ask what animals you have, just say you have a variety of nontraditional pets, i.e. other than cats and dogs. That way, you can look at regs for hamsters, birds, fish, chinchillas, and reptiles.



I think that if you say you want to know what the laws are concerning keeping snakes, you're "setting the tone of the conversation" a certain way, and depending who's on the other end of the phone, they might have preconceived notions and steer you in the wrong direction, or worst-case, may use that call as the basis for a "we need a law prohibiting snakes" movement.



This is just my own opinion



>>DO NOT LIE about what you have, but at the same time don't come right out and say you have snakes...I don't want you to think I'm advocating dishonesty, but again, it's all how you shape the conversation.

>>

>>Same thing with landlords...usually "pet policies" apply to large, damage- and odor-producing animals like dogs and cats. I always mention I have contained, terrarium-type pets. Sure, one of those is a snake, but when pressed I usually mention the turtles I have--there is generally a better public opinion of turtles. If you immediately say "I have a snakes," that tends to raise a few eyebrows. I think it's unfair, statistically unsupported (based on damage and injury compared to dogs/cats), and discriminatory, but that's just the way it is right now. But I digress.

>>

>>Surely AK has some reasonable herp regs...after all, there's a REASON there are very few native herps. An escaped snake wouldn't last long enough to cause an invasive problem.

>>-----

>>Chris McMartin

>>www.mcmartinville.com

>>I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

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