Yup. Including balls!

West Virginia is DANGEROUSLY CLOSE to passing a bill (introduced by the animal rights extremist group "Born Free" that would SEVERELY limit the ability of West Virginia citizens to keep wild/exotic pets including ALL reptiles (that's right, geckos, ball pythons, bearded dragons, corn snakes, boas, etc... ALL means ALL).

*******The bill has already passed through the WV Senate, and is now being considered in the House Judiciary Committee. If it passes this committee, it goes to the House floor for a full vote. If it passes there, it goes to the Governor for his approval. THIS IS WAY TOO CLOSE TO NOT TAKE ACTION!*******

SB477 is in the WV House Judiciary Committee. THIS MAY BE OUR LAST CHANCE TO KILL SB477! Please call and email committee members. If you did not take action in the House Natural Resources Committee, you can not afford to procrastinate. DO THIS TODAY! Phone campaign info is below. Underneath phone campaign is email campaign. Let's shut down SB477 TODAY!

PHONE CALL CAMPAIGN:
We need everyone to TELEPHONE CALL the state house and register your opposition to SB477.

Sample script:


"I'm calling to express my opposition to SB477, the Exotic Animal Ban. I would like to urge the Senator to vote NO on SB477 when it is discussed in the Judiciary Committee and if it goes to the floor for a vote."

Judiciary Committee

Delegate Miley
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3252


Delegate Hunt
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3392


Delegate Ellem
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3394


Delegate Lane
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3275


Delegate Barker
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3149


Delegate Brown
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3106


Delegate Doyle
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3184


Delegate Ferro
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3111


Delagate Fleischauer
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3169


Delegate Frazier
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3396


Delegate Longstreth
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3124


Delegate Manchin
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3166


Delegate Mannypenny
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3139


Delegate Michael
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3340


Delegate Moore
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3189


Delegate Pino
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3170


Delegate Poore
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3248


Delegate Walker
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3135


Delegate Wells
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3287


Delegate Hamilton
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3167


Delegate Ireland
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3195


Delegate Miller
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3147


Delegate Oneal
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3164


Delegate Overington
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3148


Delegate Sobonya
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3175




EMAIL CAMPAIGN:




Sample Letter:




Subject Line: No on SB477




Delegate Mannypenny and Committee Members,

As a resident/stakeholder in the West Virginia reptile community I appreciate your concern for public safety and environmental protection. However, your proposed bill is far too over reaching in regards to reptiles. Who ever assisted in the construction of the bill doesn't understand the natural history, captive husbandry nor the economics of reptiles in WV. Most of these animals are tropical in nature and cannot survive the cold temperatures that prevail 3 seasons of the year in our state. The idea that these animals pose an invasive species threat to WV natural resources is unsupportable by fact. Additionally, these animals have never posed a public safety threat in WV or elsewhere.

The reptile industry represents $15 million annually in commerce in West Virginia. Thousands make their living in this State because of this business. To cavalierly destroy this non-traditional agricultural interest because of a fundamental lack of understanding is unacceptable. As written, this bill will hurt me and my family. It is bad idea to kill jobs in this kind of economy.

Working with certain reptiles entails a moderate occupational risk, but historically and statistically, reptiles represent virtually zero public safety risk. Dogs account for 35 deaths a year in this country (a dozen in 2012 to date). Captive reptiles less than one per year. Traditional livestock and pets have proven much more of a public safety risk than reptiles. According to US Fish & Wildlife and US Geological Services studies, the rare event of a death as the result of a captive reptile falls into the category of occupational hazard. There is no record whatsoever of a captive reptile creating any measurable risk to the public... NEVER!




SB477 has been rushed through the legislative process with minimal stakeholder input.

Neighboring Virginia has already seen the wisdom in reconsidering such an ill advised bill. Please remove ALL reptiles from SB477. Thank you.

Thank you.




Email List for House Natural Resources Committee: (if emails bounce slightly change subject line keeping SB477; or try sending to addresses one at a time)


tim.miley@wvhouse.gov
mhunt@markahunt.com
john.ellem@wvhouse.gov
patrick.lane@wvhouse.gov
larry.barker@wvhouse.gov
bonnie.brown@wvhouse.gov
johndoyle@wvhouse.gov
mike.ferro@wvhouse.gov
barbaraf@wvhouse.gov
john.frazier@wvhouse.gov
linda.longstreth@wvhouse.gov
tmanchin@manchininjurylaw.com
mike.manypenny@wvhouse.gov
harold@hardynet.com
clif.moore@wvhouse.gov
john.pino@wvhouse.gov
meshea.poore@wvhouse.gov
david.walker@wvhouse.gov
danny.wells@wvhouse.gov
woody.ireland@wvhouse.gov
jonathan@delegatejmiller.com
john.oneal@wvhouse.gov
john@overington.com
kelli.sobonya@wvhouse.gov

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