Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The Illinoisr department of agriculture is adding provisions to the exotic animal importation into the state, which will affect the reptile trade
Exotic or nondomestic animals - those not native to north america and not maintained as livestock - will have to be accompanied by a department of agriculture permit and a certificate of veternary inspection.
The import provisions will be repealed under a new rule and replaced with blanket requirements that will apply to all animals. Animals will not be able to be imported into the state without a health certificate and an entry permit number from the department.
Health certificates will have to state the age, sex, breed, number and description of animals, whether they are free from visible evidence of communicable diseases and where they originated from. Additionally, the certificate must be filed before the animals enter the state and be issued by an accredited veterinarian in the state of origin within 30 days before importing to illinois.
(PIJAC PRESS RELEASE) (REPTILES FEBRUARY 2007)

I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE LAND OF THE FREE... APPERANTLY NOT IF YOU ARE A REPTILE OR EXOTIC PET HOBBIEST!!!!!

THIS AFFECTS US ALL WRITE THE GOVERNOR, YOUR CONGRESSMAN ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN!!!!

IF THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT STOPPED WHAT NEXT!!!!!

It may be of interest to readers that Ohio already has such a law on the books and require "Entry Permits" for all reptiles imported into Ohio. To obtain an entry permit you must have a Health Certificate signed by an accredited veterinarian.

I always obtain Health certificates and Entry Permits for the animals I import into Ohio as well as notification to the United States Department of Agriculture of the importation.

It will be interesting to see what kind of a "Health Certificate" is required for gold fish, tropical fish, mice, rats, crabs, spiders, earth worms, crickets, roaches, and all the other species of animals that are regularly imported into Illinois.