Reptile & Amphibian Forums

First and for most this was quoted from the text which can be read in full by following the link at the bottom
“These import provisions would be repealed under the new rule, and replaced with blanket requirements”
blanket requirements that means all species of animal reptile, bird, mammal etc must conform to these standards. Same standards for all “vaccinated against rabies” last time I checked there was no rabies shot for reptiles or birds. Imagine trying to import 500 baby ball pythons get them all rabies shots(if it didn’t kill them) and having to met the following, remember these will be blanket requirements for all animals brought into the state,

“State the age, sex, breed, number and description of animals in the
State that animals are free from visible evidence of contagious, infectious
that they originated in an area that is not under rabies quarantine,
vaccinated against rabies as required by the Illinois Animal Control
Be filed with the Department prior to entry of the animals into the state.
Be issued by an accredited veterinarian of the state of origin or one
veterinarian in the country of origin.
Be in a form that is approved by the animal health official of the state
the state or country of origin.
Have an issuance date within 30 days prior to entry into Illinois.”

I spoke to a Jackie Eckert (217)782-2172 with the IL dept of ag today and really didn’t get anywhere. I haven’t had time to decipher all this nonsense but what I can tell you is the reptile shows will be all but gone. The current law requires anyone who buys dogs or cats with the intent to sell to be regulated, the only exemption is selling offspring you produced. So if this passes not only is it ridiculous but it will sky rocket the price of all animals legally brought into the state by requiring vets to write more or less a book on each animal. Most dealers I think would just send their animals else where as it would be to much headache to ship them into IL. Also since they would ad the defintion of exotic the their list of aniamls that are regulated ALL dealers in IL would need to be regulated. How one from out of state could come in to sell is beyond me. Imagine the Tinley Park Show with only animals produced here in IL, You’d be able to fit the entire show in half an isle. Tomorrow Ill be making more calls and trying to get more contact info to send emails and what not to. But be ready because this was just released today and they vote on it OCT 26th if passed it will be implemented by the end of the month, within the next 14days. Below is a link to the full text
http://pijac.org/files/public/IL_IMP_REG.pdf
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Jason & Christina
WE INTERUPT THIS PROGRAM WITH A SPECIAL NEWS BULLITIEN

America is now under marshal law! ALL constitutional rights have been suspended! Stay in your homes. Do not attempt to contact loved ones, insurance agents or attorneys. Shut up do not attempt to think or depression may occur. Curfew is at 7pm sharp after work. Anyone caught outside the gates of their suveillance sector WILL BE SHOT!

Remain calm. Your neighborhood watch officer will be by in the morning to collect urine samples. Anyone caught interfering with the collection of urine samples WILL BE SHOT!

Stay in your home, remain calm. The number one enemy of progress is questions

Obey all orders without question

And last, everything.....is.....done for you!

Classic Dums frozen feeders

illinois is one sad state. one of two that requires a foid(firearms owners identification card), no venomous, no crocodilians, no constricting snakes over eight feet. i have a foid, i guess ill have to break some laws about the reptiles.

Ohio also has a law stating that all out of state reptiles must have a vet certificate before entering the states, if you have a friend that is a vet it isnt too bad, but still too much of a headache to do shows. That is actually why we no longer go to Ohio.
Kim

I have'nt heard of such a law in ohio?

Maybe there is but no one listens to it.

Dangerous animal act allows you to own a snake over 8ft. It is illegal for a pet shop to sell them over this length. Dangerous animal act makes snakes over 16 feet illegal for possession.
Jason Juchems- Past President of Central Illinois Herpetological Society

wrong the guy who got popped had 16ft burms they found were illegal, this case never set precidents to what size is illegal only that his were, so another judge could find that a 13fter is illegal, no one ever said up to 16ft is fine only that the animals involved in the case were not

>>Dangerous animal act allows you to own a snake over 8ft. It is illegal for a pet shop to sell them over this length. Dangerous animal act makes snakes over 16 feet illegal for possession.
>>Jason Juchems- Past President of Central Illinois Herpetological Society
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Jason & Christina
WE INTERUPT THIS PROGRAM WITH A SPECIAL NEWS BULLITIEN

America is now under marshal law! ALL constitutional rights have been suspended! Stay in your homes. Do not attempt to contact loved ones, insurance agents or attorneys. Shut up do not attempt to think or depression may occur. Curfew is at 7pm sharp after work. Anyone caught outside the gates of their suveillance sector WILL BE SHOT!

Remain calm. Your neighborhood watch officer will be by in the morning to collect urine samples. Anyone caught interfering with the collection of urine samples WILL BE SHOT!

Stay in your home, remain calm. The number one enemy of progress is questions

Obey all orders without question

And last, everything.....is.....done for you!

Classic Dums frozen feeders

I spoke directly with Marshal Myers and Mike Maddox this morning at PIJAC. The number one thing everyone can do is join PIJAC.....its costs just $35 a year I think for the minimum membership fee. Log onto PIJAC.org and sign up today. My check goes out in the morning. You will receive the PIJAC newsletter that will fill you in on all legal issues facing the pet trade. You cant fight unless you know what is going on here guys!!! By signing up for PIJAC it gives them one more name on the list when they lobby the people in government who make the laws. Every name helps......no matter where you live. This recent attack on our rights to keep herps is just one of many more to come. Its time to fight guys.....lets get on the offensive and stop doing everything on the defensive. We need to start acting like a real industry.....lets each do something and stop waiting on someone else to do it for us. Every one of you out there needs to join PIJAC and start writing letters and let the government officials know we are tired of this crap. There are issues in this world that need their attention........and this is not one of them. Illinois like most states is facing budgets they cannot meet and job losses everywhere.....killing jobs with bills like this is not going to help anyone. A bill like this will kill the pet industry in one day. Can Illinois afford tolose more business? Can any state afford to lose the incredible amount of money the pet industry generates or the salaries the pet industry provides? Dead industries create zero tax dollars.....and I have never met a government official that would like to have less tax dollars to spend....have you? Its time to take action guys.....Illinois law will become your states law as soon as it is passed......big city law filters down to small cities......draw the line in the sand here before it gets to your back yard! ITS SIMPLE PEOPLE.......FIGHT NOW OR CRY LATER!!! Encourage everyone you know to join.....family, friends, customers.....everyone loses if we lose.

Brian Potter
Chicago Reptile House
North American Reptile Breeders Conf & Trade Shows
Link

I have to reply to this post.
Reptiles cannot be tested for rabies. Neither can they carry the rabies virus. So I really don't foresee that this part of the bill really applies to reptile enthusiasts. Any knowledgeable vet, biologist, or anyone involved with writing this bill should be aware of this fact.
Again, RABIES IS ONLY TRANSMITTED AND CARRIED VIA MAMMALS!
Now about the other issues, ridiculous!
The 2nd amendment has been used in the USA to justify keeping weapons in the house. It specifically says:
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Now why if we can keep automatic weapons in our home, why can we not keep a corn snake or red-tail boa without having to beg the world to do so and at the same time bend over backwards for those people in power?
If you want to keep an Uzi you can just buy it and bam you have it!! And on top of that, we have a regular military force, so technically the 2nd amendment should be repealed because we don’t need a militia, or do we? I think that they, the local and/or national governments, should just leave us alone.

Now, to me, the issue goes beyond simple legislation. There is a current overwhelming disregard for personal rights in this country (And no, this is not some political propaganda). I was born in raised in Maine, and I currently live in Mass, where individual rights are as few and far between as a swimsuit model. Even though I live in MA, I stand by my Maine heritage and the values my old man taught me. What I do or keep in my own home is nobody else's business. Come knocking on my door to harass me about my interests and I'll have some strong words for you. I, and anyone who works with this wonderful creatures, knows how harmless a ball python can be in the hands of an intelligent keeper. So, basically, don't give 2 sh**s what someone wants to do to keep you from doing what you enjoy. I'll tell you what, people who breed and keep dogs and cats don't receive this much harassment and fear.

The ignorance of society or congress should never prevent you from doing what you love.

In conclusion, here a little anecdote my mom once told me regarding a favorite little rotty we owned when I was just a youngster. Let me preface this by saying I am in no way knocking any religion and am a regular church go-er myself, just showing you how sometimes you have to stand up for yourself and your beliefs:

A traveling minister type pulled up once and was harassing my mom about accepting God. My mom grew up catholic and is a good woman. This minister was preaching that she must accept Jesus as her savior or she would not be saved. Seeing the rottweiler barreling his way towards the guy's open car window out of the corner of her eye, her simply reply: If you don't roll up that window, God ain't saving you either.

John

I just finished speaking with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. This LAW ONLY AFFECTS those licensed by the Il Dept. of Ag. The rabies portion pertains to dogs (mammals) and is required by the Center for Disease Control. It is to slow down the process pet shop to import dogs and then directly selling them. So, no private breeders of herps is affected. Herp sales are exempt since members are not licensed (for the most part) through the IL Dept of Agriculture.

Jason Juchems- Past President of the Central Illinois Herpetological Society.

So after all this chit chat and worry, as usual, the law means nothing to the herpetoculturist. So what if wild caught imports are regulated anyways. Who would know if you had imported any or drove in from another swap in another state with one? And, since any reptile can be bred successfully and in large numbers these days, the CB market would take care of any "shortage" in the industry.

Come on! Unless you are doing something horribly wrong and illegal why the worry? Enjoy your hobby!!!