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I don't appreciate USARK and it's members giving false or misleading information such as the following to get me to support their agenda. If you need help supporting something then it should be made very clear what we are being asked to do. The amendment was done in October and if the agreement in principal still needed done or support not to include more snakes to the list, just say so. I don't mind supporting other herpers and keeping the right to have snakes but this is over the top. I expect an organization I donate money to to help protect my interests not to deceive people with misleading info. Unfortunately I do not think I will continue to donate to this organization in the future.

USARK BLOG October 17th
Fortunately USARK was able to convince Congressman Tom Rooney of Florida, who is championing this Bill in the House Judiciary Committee, to offer an amendment to H.R. 2811 limiting the scope of the Bill. H.R. 2811 was subsequently amended striking the genus python and inserting ONLY the Burmese Python and African Python. Committee staff also agreed in principle to further amend the Bill to allow for the captive bred trade and export of these animals to continue. USARK has provided language to Committee staff to further amend H.R. 2811 to reflect this agreement. As of today no additional amendments have been offered.

A partial post by Boaphile

Posted by: boaphile at Tue Nov 3 21:16:22 2009 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by boaphile ]

Say bye bye to your Pythons and maybe your Boas too.

This can be viewed on video if you prefer that to reading this at the following link:

CLICK VIDEO LINK HERE

If the legislators considering HR2811 make their decision strictly based upon the calls made Monday and Tuesday this week, say bye bye to your right to breed and sell Pythons. The number of calls coming in has been absolutely pathetic. This isn’t some obscure extreme interest group meeting talking about whether or not they will try take away our right to keep Pythons. This is the US House of Representatives and they are as serious as a heart attack about this legislation. Though we had a previous commitment to a minimal alteration of our right to keep our animals, the extremists are pushing to have the entire genus python put back into the language of this bill, and added to the list of species regulated under the Federal Lacy Act. You have got to be heard!

USARK post October 30th
Please join the Reptile Nation in a Congressional Call In Opposing HR2811 aka The Python Ban November 2, 3 & 4. If you value your Boas & Pythons you will participate and encourage your entire sphere of influence to do the same. There is a Hearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism & Homeland Security scheduled for November 5th. Please call in and OPPOSE HR2811.
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The other side does not just stay at home and not call representatives. They are trying day and night to get representatives to change their minds and do what they want. These decisions can change on the proverbial "dime."

In every election a side wins and a side loses. Did the donors to the party that wins think they were getting a guaranteed victory?
Did the donors to the party that loses think they were getting a guaranteed victory?

Sadly you are seeing the reality of the "Democratic" process, which has nothing to with the incredibly hard work that USARK has done on our behalf.

No one will know-probably not even the representatives in there, what will transpire in that room tomorrow. This is another day in the line of many long days ahead for anyone who loves to work with animals.

Please continue to help in any capacity you feel will help.

For my part USARK has literally gotten us at least a seat at the table. Before USARK, the representatives had no idea who "we" (people who keep and breed reptiles) were.

Tracy Barker VPI

I agree, with USARK we have a voice, or a seat at the table and that's why I joined and donated to the cause. I wrote letters and made calls like everybody else did to protect our interest but it is becoming clear to most that tricking us by phrasing things as they did leads to distrust. Do you think that if they were upfront that most people here would have helped their fellow herpers that had species on the chopping block? Probably not as many that did thinking that ball pythons were threatened. An organization that lacks integrity with it's supporters will not be able to protect our interests long term. What kind of support will they get next time when it really counts, knowing they cry wolf and you have to read between the lines before helping. I'm sure they got what they needed in the way of support with the call in this week but it does not sit well with me. I do hope we are successful in the days ahead with the issues that affect us all.
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and not just Jeff's initial post, the bill has been ammended as described, and the further ammendment that has been agreed to has not been included. However, groups like the HSUS are currently pushing hard to get the bill returned to it's original language, AS WELL as add anacondas and boas to the list. This is why USARK asked people to call in. They started to get this turned around, and then those in power stalled. the other side is taking advantage of this and voicing their opinion, and if we don't shout louder, bad things are going to happen to all of us.
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Snakes:
1.1 gray banded kingsnake
1.1 california kingsnake
1.1 kenyan sand boa
1.1 western hognose snake
0.1 albino checkered garter
1.0 florida blue garter
1.1 het anery red sided garter
1.1 reverse oketee corn snake
1.1 blood red corn snake
0.1 amel striped corn
1.0 amel 66% het striped corn
1.1 het albino ball python
1.1 het ghost ball python
0.1 spider ball python
1.0 pastel ball python
1.1 mojave ball python
1.0 butter ball python
0.1 ringer ball python
1.0 African dinker ball python
0.3 normal ball python
1.0 piebald ball python
0.1 het piebald ball python
0.1 Genetic Stripe Ball Python
1.0 Het Genetic Stripe Ball Python
0.1 Mystic Ball Python

Turtles
1-eastern box turtle
2-spotted turtle
2-eastern/midland painted turtle intergrade
1.0-common musk turtle
1-Pink bellied sideneck
6-Northern red belly

Invertebrates
0.1 southern black widow
1-Tanzanian Giant Tailless whipscorpion

Amphibians
0.1 Ornate Horned Frog

Birds:
1.1 red avadavit
2-blue breasted cordon blue
1.1-black cheeked waxbill
0.1-star finch
1.0-Java rice sparrow
2.0-owl finch
1.0-hybrid munia
0.1-White bellied caique

Fish
2-corydoras cats
1-African upside down cat

normal stuff
0.1 black lab

I understand what your saying and agree with it. If you read the sticky from PHFaust on the 3rd, that is the right way this should have been handled and our support garnered. If you appreciate the these statements and condone it then continue to support them.

"Say bye bye to your Pythons and maybe your Boas too."

"If the legislators considering HR2811 make their decision strictly based upon the calls made Monday and Tuesday this week, say bye bye to your right to breed and sell Pythons."

"If you value your Boas & Pythons you will participate and encourage your entire sphere of influence to do the same."

Maybe I'm wrong, and since it was for the better good it is acceptable. Not a pill I'm willing to swallow right now though. I should have read thoroughly and researched things first instead of taking it at face value, wont happen again. If this is anything like before when someone else raised questions about USARK, the post was deleted, so what difference does it make.
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I don't find anything at all misleading about their emails or statements - I do find that a lot of people are confused or misreading/misinterpreting what is going on.

I think what you might be missing is that these emails are sent out to everyone who signs up for them thru USARK and are reposted in various forums - that includes people whos boas and pythons are in jeopardy and alot of people that just care about the industry in general.

Now you might be breathing a sigh of relief because your particular snake is not or no longer on the chopping block - but then again it could be back up there by the time the bill goes up for signing - this bill is far from over and the fight in general is far from over - no matter what species you might be keeping. And really if you only care about your ball pythons - then shame on you.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

Tosha,
First I made the twenty plus calls yesterday and asked some friends to do the same. I don't want the U.S. government in it potentially ruining this for future generations. But I had a friend who called and told me she could not support this and would not make the calls because she felt that large constrictor snakes should be tightly regulated. I explained that I understood and respected her opionion, and gave my point of view on the subject. Why should she or somebody else feel ashamed because they don't share the same point of view with you? Who are you to tell someone this? We don't always agree with everything but belittling someone is a sign of a narrow minded individual. Hopefully that comment was meant a different way.
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Big difference between someone feeling they should be regulated and someone just covering their own special interest. If the shoe fits wear it - if it doesn't it why would it offended you?

PS - you might want to tell your friend this bill has nothing to do with regulation it's about outright banning.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

She is for the ban and adding the other large contrictor snakes to the list. I'm not offended, I just think it is pretentious on your part.
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She has a right to her opinion - no matter how wrong. LOL

Pretentious - no - I just think self serving people suck.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

Perfection has not been achieved but if you are involved you can help to make USARK better. You can be much more effective on the inside than you can watching from the outside. Every time I have spoken with anyone involved with USARK they have been incredibly helpful and willing to listen. Politics is a nasty game and unfortunately unless we want the “anti reptile” people to rip our rights from us we MUST make USARK stronger financially and stronger with members participating for our own best interest as a community. The eleventh hour has arrived. The people that oppose our rights to keep reptiles would LOVE for us to abandon USARK.
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Proud supporter of USARK and Kingsnake.com
“We stand together or we fall apart”

Kyle
www.royalvariations.com

"be safe, be happy and dont let anyone make you afraid"
David Coverdale

If it was not for the work USARK has done we would not be having these conversations we would of allready lost our rights. Where is PIJAC in all of this? Alot of money and support was given to them and yet they are MIA again.
Jeff

Keep up the good fight USARK