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WARNING: Momentum For HR2811
This is a letter sent by Representative Kendrick Meek of Florida to his colleagues in the US House of Representatives looking for new sponsors to his recently introduced HR 2811. This is the companion bill to Senator Bill Nelson's S373. Also known as "The Python Ban". Rep Meek is looking to capitalize on all the recent publicity and put his bill in the limelight. As soon as it happens our intelligence gathering folks in Washington, DC help USARK bring it to the Reptile Nation. Stay tuned there is much more coming soon. Prepare yourselves for the big fight!

HELP PREVENT THE IMPORTATION AND TRADE OF DANGEROUS BURMESE PYTHONS
From: The Honorable Kendrick B. Meek
Sent By: ali.dimatteo@mail.house.gov
Bill: H.R. 2811
Date: 7/9/2009
HELP PREVENT THE IMPORTATION AND TRADE OF DANGEROUS BURMESE PYTHONS
Dear Colleague,
This month, a 2 year old girl in Florida was killed by a Burmese Python which was kept as a pet in the girl’s home. Although this particular owner did not have a permit for the snake, many people across the country do and have still been injured or killed by them. Incidents of injury and death from Burmese Pythons have been reported from Florida to Maine to California. These dangerous snakes are lawfully imported from Southeast Asia and are legally sold in the United States.
Burmese Pythons can grow to be up to 20 feet long and weigh over 250 lbs. Not only do they pose a risk when they escape their tanks, but as they begin to reach their adult size many owners turn them loose, posing a danger to children, pets and delicate ecosystems. Burmese Pythons are strong swimmers and highly adaptable, making their home in almost any warm climate. More than 600 of these pythons were removed from the Florida Everglades Park between 2002 and 2007, and these invasive species feed on many of the endangered native species found there, including white ibis, limpkin, round-tailed muskrats, and woodrats.
The import and trade of Burmese Pythons must be stopped. That is why I introduced H.R. 2811, to include these pythons on the list of dangerous animals, banning their importation and sale in the United States.
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important bill to protect children, pets and endangered ecosystems from dangerous Burmese Pythons.
For more information about this issue or to become a sponsor of H.R. 2811, please contact Ali DiMatteo in my office at ali.dimatteo@mail.house.gov or 5-4506.

Sincerely,
KENDRICK B. MEEK
Member of Congress

usark.org
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Joel Thomas

Don't tread on me!

They'd use that little girl as an example of worse case scenario.

I'd like to know where he acquired his factual data to state the fact that many people have been injured and killed by burms.

do they talk about irresponsible keepers. Im mad........
I am not fond of the bigger snakes (got hit by a huge Retic on
my 16th b-day) but care for them just the same as a Boa/Lizard.
This is getting rediculas. Why not making bigger punishments?
NOPE! They just want them gone alltogether. This is who hah
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Kenny Bowman

"Symetry Exotics"
Honesty is the only route to TRUE respect, anything else is unacceptable....

here we go again, wake the beast again!!! I know just matter of time we all need our help again. I still feel bad and upset what happen to that lil girl. That wasnt the burmese, Its that darn irresposible keeper!!!! I cant even explain how i feel bout that whole thing!!!! What about all the dogs attacks and feral cats!!! IM SO P.O!!! With this S***!!!
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Albert
Getting back from boa hobby!!!
0.1 fiance , not super tame, but getting there!! lol
0.1 Sharp line albino , poss het sharpsnow
1.1 TH Sharp snowglow
1.0 CA stripe proven super hypo DH CA ghost
1.1 Hypo nics
1.0 Emerald line sunset
1.0 Cancun boa, still looking for a female
0.2 Betty line hog island
3.3 CA hypo/hogs het full body stripes
0.2 CA poss. super hypo
6.6.19 Crested geckos
1.1 Dogs
Lots of feeder mice and rats !!!

I love how they can say whatever they want with no backup.....

"HELP PREVENT THE IMPORTATION AND TRADE OF DANGEROUS BURMESE PYTHONS" - so the "safe" burms are OK?

"many people across the country do and have still been injured or killed by them." - any statistics to back this up? I'm not aware of a rash of deaths associated to killer burms!!

"Burmese Pythons can grow to be up to 20 feet long and weigh over 250 lbs." OK somewhat correct but how many actually attain this size?

"Not only do they pose a risk when they escape their tanks" - Duh, owner mistake and carelessness, not thre fault of the snake.

"many owners turn them loose" - I hear this over and over, and exactly how does anyone "know" owners are releasing them? And if so how does one quantify "many"

"Burmese Pythons are strong swimmers and highly adaptable, making their home in almost any warm climate." - That stays warm and damp all year round!!

"More than 600 of these pythons were removed from the Florida Everglades Park between 2002 and 2007, and these invasive species feed on many of the endangered native species found there, including white ibis, limpkin, round-tailed muskrats, and woodrats." - OK, they are in the glades, how exactly does banning their import and sale prevent them from being where they already are?

"Please join me in co-sponsoring this important bill to protect children, pets and endangered ecosystems from dangerous Burmese Pythons." - Children are at a MINIMAL risk from Burms, many more children are killed each month/week/day/minute by other causes. Heck, I even read more kids die playing sanctioned league baseball.

And do they not see the irony, lets ban having a pet to protect having pets? ow many cats, dogs and other furry or feathered pets are killed by other cats, dogs and other furry or feathered pets?
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
36.51 BRB
29.42 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I'm equally outraged by these completely unfounded statements.
If ridiculous statements like this were made about a person or
group they would be considered libelous.

Its all misleading bordering on complete lies.

. . . Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

Seriously, don't these people have anything else better to do than waste our hard earned tax dollars on B.S. non factual based bills? I'm pretty sure there are far more pressing subjects that need attention. My prayers do go out to that little girl, but why is the burm still getting blamed for something the owner was at fault for????!!!! Regulate Don't ban... just my 2 cents. This is just the calm before the storm, get ready......
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Brian Grosart
foreverconstrictors@hotmail.com

http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2009/07/exotic-pets.html

I feel like these people are 100% insane. Maybe it's just me?!? Feral hogs (which are NOT native... funny, niether are cattle!) in Florida do far more damage than anything else down here (next to humans of course). Don't hear much from the HSUS about them... This is all making me pretty sick, for real. I cannot imagine my life without 'pythons' in it.

Matt
p.s. - Feral cats and dogs are also NOT native to Florida. Don't hear a single thing about them from the HSUS.
Click this link for total insanity

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"Change what you cannot accept... do not accept what you can't change!"

Tod Ashley C.$.C.

I feel bad that the little girl died shame on the ownwer but they have to live with that.I think we should ban all animals horse are responsible for more deaths than any other pet,feral cats are everywhere,dogs maybe the burms can help control the ferals.Sorry feeling a little sarcastic this morning.Any way the get are message to these morons?