Hi,

I have become this letter. Please read it and write you into the list...



"Dear Group

I am sorry for cross posting this over various mailing lists, forums and bothering you with off topic threads. The below text is a description of the legislation around herptiles in Norway and the implications of getting caught with illegal animals.



As You may know, herptiles are illegal to keep, breed, import and export in Norway.

Norway is 1 out of 2-3 countries in the world where herptiles are illegal. For what reasons?



In Hawaii herptiles are illegal (as far as I understand) because animals who escape from private collections are likely to reproduce and may cause a potential threat to native flora and fauna. This is in my opinion a reasonable reason for banning herptiles in Hawaii.

In Norway the situation is totally different, here the winter is long, cold and there are extremely few herptile species that can survive the harsh climatic condition of the Norway. Why reptiles are illegal in my country? Your guess is as good as mine, probably due to prejudice against herptiles from the part of politicians uneducated on the matter.



Animals confiscated by the Norwegian government are put to death (perhaps with very rare exceptions in the cases of extremely rare and endangered species).

Thursday the police came knocking on my door and all my animals are now considered confiscated. My house is sealed off with police tape and no one is allowed to go into it.



On Monday the police will return to my house with the district veterinary to confiscate my animals. At a near point in the future my animals will most likely be put to death and there is little I can do about it except hiring a lawyer and hoping for a miracle. This is not a call for help for my part, but on behalf of herptiles and herpetoculturists in my country.



I have started a roll call and hope to gather as many signatures as possible as a peaceful protest protest against the Norwegian government?s persecution of herpetoculturists in Norway. I believe that the legislation in my country is wrong and that all herptile species are not unjustifiable to keep as captives. The Norwegian herpetological association has struggled for 12 years to lift the ban on herpetoculture in my country without success so far. We can?t seem to put enough pressure on our government to make things happen.



The roll call I have initiated is also a protest and sharp criticism against animals being confiscated and put to death as a consequence of the Norwegian legislation.



If you agree that governments shouldn?t be so restrictive as to bann all herpetoculture within a country, please take the time to visit the below link and sign the roll call. http://www.opprop.no/opprop.php?id=befrireptiler Please feel free to pass this post onto other relevant mailinglists and forums so that as as many people as possible may sign this role call if they wish.



Again I am sorry to occupy your time with this kind of inquiery, have a nice day.

Best regards

Vålen Gånev (obeligz)

Committee member of the Norwegian Herpetological Association

e-mail/msn: obeligz@c2i.net"
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