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Reptile in HOI Fair exhibit now with animal welfare authorities
BY EMILY ANDERSON

OF THE JOURNAL STAR

PEORIA -- An alligator is missing from the reptile exhibit at the Heart of Illinois Fair.
The 2-foot-long American alligator belonged to Jason Johnson of Peoria, who insisted Thursday the reptile was taken unjustly Tuesday by Peoria County Animal Control officers.

Johnson said he does not know why they removed it from his exhibit.

"They won't return my calls," he said. "It's like it's top secret."

Johnson guessed the removal had something to do with his permit, which is for an American "alligator," the species he said he owns. He suspects officials believe he really owns an American "crocodile," an endangered species.

According to Johnson, an Animal Control officer came to the exhibit to look at the reptile before the fair opened Monday. The officer returned Tuesday with an agent from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and confiscated the reptile - tank and all. Johnson was not present either time.

The alligator apparently now sits inside the Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter, but Johnson said officials there won't return it to him.

No Animal Control or DNR officials could be reached for comment Thursday night.

Eileen Frye, the fair's general manager, had heard about the confiscated alligator but said the dispute is between Johnson and the people who took it.

Johnson simply wants the creature back. "Something's not right, it's just not right," he said. "It's just all around sucky."
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Jason & Danica
Don't wanna wait 'til tomorrow Why put it off another day? One by one, little problems Build up, and stand in our way. Oh One step ahead, one step behind it Now ya gotta run to get even Make future plans I'll dream about yesterday, hey! Come on turn, turn this thing around (Right now) Hey! It's your tomorrow (Right now) Come on, it's everything (Right now) Catch your magic moment (Right now) Catch your magic moment Do it right here and now Do it right here and now, IT MEANS EVERYTHING (Van Halen, Right Now)

So am I still waiting for this world to stop hating/Can't find a good reason, can't find hope to believe in/...You can't change the state of the nation we just need/ some motivation...So am I still waiting for this world to stop hating(Sum41 Still Waiting)

Classic Dums frozen feeders

JOURNAL STAR (Peoria, Illinois) 15 July 06 Grabbed gator now in state custody - Loose legal ends tie up reptile from Heart of Illinois Fair exhibit (Emily Anderson)
Peoria: Rumors of illegal sales and permit problems led to the confiscation of an alligator at the Heart of Illinois Fair, according to Bill Motteler of the Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter.
Motteler said he and a fellow animal- control officer followed orders Tuesday to transport a 2-foot American alligator from Jason Johnson's reptile exhibit to the animal shelter.
"We had a call that they were selling alligators down at the fair, which is illegal, so we just went out to investigate it, and we were told by the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) to go ahead and confiscate if we saw any alligators," Motteler said Friday.
It is illegal to sell an American alligator, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Web site.
Earlier in the week, Motteler said a local veterinarian told him someone had called the office seeking help for an alligator that "wasn't doing well." The veterinarian declined to treat the alligator, which the man said he bought at the fair.
Motteler also heard that fliers advertising alligators for sale were handed out at the fair, although he was not sure whether they were from Johnson or from a Florida man who brought two alligators to the reptile exhibit. The Florida vendor left the fair Monday.
Motteler said the DNR asked PAWS to hold the alligator until they could check the legality of Johnson's operation and permit.
Johnson insisted Thursday that the reptile was taken unjustly and without an explanation. He said he could not get anyone to call him back with information on when, or if, he could retrieve it.
Sgt. Tim Sickmeyer, acting chief of the DNR's investigation unit, said Johnson needs a specific permit to possess an American alligator because they are listed on the federal endangered species list as a threatened animal. Sickmeyer said Johnson has yet to present his permit to the DNR.
The alligator was housed at PAWS for 48 hours and is now in the DNR's custody. Motteler said he just did what the DNR and the Department of Agriculture told him to do, and has nothing more to do with the investigation or the alligator.
"It's between Jason and the DNR now," Motteler said.
Sickmeyer confirmed the DNR has the alligator, but did not say when or if it would be returned to Johnson.
Sickmeyer would not comment on the investigation, which is being conducted with the federal government, until its end. He wasn't sure when that would be.
Friday's Journal Star told Johnson's side of the story, which Sickmeyer doesn't agree with.
"All I can tell you is that made for good reading, his comments," said Sickmeyer. "Let's just say we obviously have a different view of things than he does."
Grabbed gator now in state custody

"Sgt. Tim Sickmeyer, acting chief of the DNR's investigation unit, said Johnson needs a specific permit to possess an American alligator because they are listed on the federal endangered species list as a threatened animal. Sickmeyer said Johnson has yet to present his permit to the DNR."

This is a perfect example of how ignorant some gov't agencies can be. This is the third instance of problems in IL that I've heard of. Apparently the DNR still believes alligators are endangered and require federal permits. A quick look at the federal endangered species list would clear that all up, but I guess that would be too much work.
One person who used to post here a few years back had two smallish gators confiscated and before he could get resolution, one died.

...like "how ignorant some gov't agencies can be" and "but I guess that would be too much work", maybe next time find out ALL the facts first.

In Illinois, a state DNR endangered/threatened species permit is required to possess any species listed as federally endangered or threatened, as well as any state-listed species. And if you would look at the federal endangered species list, you would see that American alligators are still listed as federally threatened due to similarity of appearance (S/A). Therefore a state DNR permit is required to possess one in Illinois, not a federal permit as you incorrectly assumed.

Scott Ballard

you would realize that they are threatened only in the states that constitute the alligator's natural range. Last time I looked, Illinois wasn't on that list.
The states are NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, AR, MS, LA, TX, OK

Illinios could very well have a state law, but if it's based on the alligator being federally threatened, I will say it again, they are ignorant.

why do you suppose the fed allows the alligator farms in the listed states to ship alligators to every state other than those I listed without the owners on the other end to have CBW permits? Why no Lacey violations? It's because it's LEGAL to do so.
What you can not do is to obtain them from the wild. According the Mike Carpenter, USFWS in DC, the burden of proof would be on the Fed to prove someone has a wild caught alligator. It's the same with spec. caimans which ARE on the Fed list due to similarity of appearance and are a Lacey violation to sell, trade, barter across state lines (unlike the American alligator) - the burden of proof is on the Fed. Mike does, however, highly recommend people keep receipts for animals in that catagory. Did I mention this does not include American alligators?

Bill

yes you are exactly right, but for some reason these people (the dnr) can't seem to understand that. The biggest hint is when they can't make any of these violations stick. and the interesting thing about that article is it mentions that they where holding the alligator to check on the permit then two paragraphs later it says that they have not even seen the permit. So what is it guys did you see it and check on it or did you never see it or is there some other story we are not hearing??? And another thing that makes me wonder is why should the dnr have to see the permit at all!!!! shouldn't this be on file with the state!!!! And what gets me is they also confiscated the 20 gallon critter cage since when is that on the endangered species list??? and further more I have the most recent copy of the booklet that Illinois puts out for endangered and threatened species and I see no american alligator on it anywhere. And I can only imagine why????

sincerely
the Roadunner
BEEP BEEP!!!!!

If someone fought this and went to court they would win, the state has no power of a non native species! They only have power over animals that naturaly occur in that state or at one time did!!

They can pass laws prohibiting them or laws requiring permiting, registering animals, etc ... but this is entirely differant than what they are doing

The State of Illinois requires a permit for Possesion.
Without doubt a permit if possesed should have been displayed, also if issued, should have a paper trail that could easily be investigated by the issuing agency, and the owner of the animal might have been able to prevent confusion had he been present.
Reguardless of Federal issues each State has its own laws, and within each State counties pass their own ordinances, and within counties municipalities pass their own laws....so it really requires digging on occasion to make sure you are not in violation and/or if you require a permit of any type make sure you do so, display the permit and if you are operating a public display at a venue make sure someone is present that knows all of your requirements are met and can answer questions if asked.
Let us all as keepers learn here from a few mistakes that were made.

You know the Illinois DNR does not follow rules, they make them up as they go. The american alligator is listed as DM,SAT. If you look under endangered species act status codes DM is DELISTED and monitored until 1992, SAT is similarity of appearence to a threatened species. The status code T(S/A)has been changed to SAT. So anybody looking at the endangered species list should also look at the status codes.

Or if its more convenient make something up. Which is what somebody else has done in this rag. I personally observed 8000 violations at the taste of Chicago,

If Scott Ballard is right about alligators needing permits. The Taste is video taped so you can ID all the criminals eating alligator meat. Of course you should have Mayor Daley arrested for allowing it.

Or remember 2003 budget cut,Maybe we should stop telling stories. Alligators are not threatened in any way.

Hey Bigpain, you are absolutely right. I went to the Endangered species act Status codes and there is not even a listing of
threatened due to similarity of appearence. I think you are also right about Illinois DNR making up their own rules. Maybe T(S/A) means Too many See Em All over. Also I would like to hear more about the 2003 budget cut. and the upcoming one.

thats friggin funny TSA, To many See em All over. I got one for ya!!! DNR.... Don't kNow Reptiles.