There were actually two bills, both were identical. One died before being heard. There was a public hearing over the second one. The Hoosier Herpetological Society was in the forefront of trying to crush this bill. During the public hearing, representatives from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and a representative from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), co-authors of the bill, had their say about the bill, there were only three other people from the public who were for the bill, and standing room only of opposition to this bill. In addition to the HHS, there were people who were keeping exotic felines, canines, and bears (the bill was restrictive for all these people). Many opponents received an opportunity to express their opposition and the hearing was allowed to run longer than expected. The legislators sent the bill back to the authors and we have heard that it is essentially dead.
We know that the HSUS is behind all the legislation in this country this year and it is time to fight back in whatever way we can.
The web site www.ActivistCash.com has an interesting article that is very critical of the animal activist groups like PETA and the HSUS. When you read these, please take note of the organizations that are affiliated with these groups and I hope that everyone will stop supporting them. There are new, subtle fund raising activities by these groups to watch out for. There is a new cell phone deal that, while it sounds good, a percentage goes to the HSUS. One of our local banks has some checks for consumers and a percentage from that also goes to the HSUS. Please don’t give any of these groups a chance to get any money.
At the web site www.ConsumerFreedom.com there is a link (take a bite out of PETA) to an electronic petition calling for the removal of PETA's tax exempt status. Currently, it is at the bottom of their web page in a box labeled "most popular pages". I encourage everyone who reads this to sign the petition and tell everyone you know about the petition and even tell every pet store you can find. They have not yet responded to my e-mail about a non-electronic petition, but, to anyone who reads this and doesn’t have a computer or internet access, get this information to all of your friends who do have internet access. Anyone who breeds herps and sells the offspring, anyone who sells merchandise for any kind of pet (cages and aquariums, snake hooks and tongs, books, t-shirts, feeder animals [mice, rats, rabbits, crickets]), veterinarians and anyone who works in a veterinarians office should sign this petition. Please inform people who like to go hunting and fishing, also.
Sincerely,
Roger Carter
Hoosier Herpetological Society
