Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The June Issue of Dog Fancy has a full page ad for HSUS. This magazine is published by Bowtie Inc, the same publisher of Reptiles Magazine, and many other pet publications.
Why is Bowtie apparently supporting HSUS? If HSUS had its way, there would be no pet owners to sell magazines to.

Ed Stone, WI Herpetological Society

Hi!
I've not seen the ad you're referring to so I don't know what the ad's about. As long as it's one of HSUS's typical "x-amount of dogs are abused/neglected each year..." and not enlisting soldiers for banning reptiles, I don't have a problem with it and I don't think it should be considered an endorsement of HSUS by Bowtie.

If Bowtie were to allow a full-page "Ban Large Constrictor Snakes" ad from the HSUS in Reptiles magazine then there'd be an issue, but I seriously doubt that'll ever happen.

Even though I don't care for HSUS it appears that this is a business issue and not an ethical one. The magazines aren't meant to intertwine, they're animal specific.

Have a good one!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com

HH,

HSUS is an organization that pushes a banning agenda. They have written negatively about the herp industry many times. They are pro-banning rather than coming up with win/win scenarios. They support the box turtle banning agenda for sure. They sponsor a conference every year with academia on box turtles. It is attend by left wing like, heavily animal rights influenced academics. They all want to ban the collection, sale and keeping of boxies for the most part. Of course they don't go after the major impacts like development, roads, climate change, etc. They are focused, as are most academics, on shutting down commercial trade, collection and captive propagation. From what I have seen HSUS is bad news. Did anyone read their response to the python info request? I was supposed to get a copy but I haven't seen it yet.

I just checked their site. They work with the API so they are bad news. I saw where they want to ban pythons in Ohio and Indiana. It doesn't seem as if Reptiles mag should be associating with them at all. Why run an ad for an organization that wants to shut down the industry you publish a magazine for? It doesn't look good or make sense.

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

Hi Mike!
Yeah, I know what HSUS is like, their principles, philosophies, etc... Please don't misunderstand me, if I owned Bowtie it wouldn't happen. I have strong morals that override business principles for myself. Bowtie should take a good look at what they're doing.

I set aside my personal ill-feelings for HSUS when considering Ed's post. I based my thoughts strictly on business ethics under the presumption that the ad wasn't a banning war cry from HSUS. It wasn't easy. I was trying to be fair and look at all aspects.

I do agree that in the long run it could be viewed as if Bowtie were cutting it's own throat with any association with HSUS. My point of view in my first post was basically from the substance of the ad and the substance of the typical HSUS ads in dog/cat mags.

Believe me, far be it from me to be the one taking the side of HSUS. When I read where someone posted that they had a link to the USFWS NOI on their website the last day for submissions this was my response: "I can only hope that some dogs & cats are responsible enough to have their owners neutered. (HH unleashed)" forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1517107,1517375

Have a good one!
HH
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

www.natures-signature.com