Reptile & Amphibian Forums

S373 aka the ‘Python Ban’ goes to “Mark Up” before the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee on Thursday, December 10, 2009. If passed as written this bill could add ALL 40 species of Python, and possibly Boa Constrictor to the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacey Act. This would ban the import, export and interstate transport of ALL animals listed. Last week USARK led a very successful grass roots campaign to oppose S373 in the Senate EPW committee. The Reptile Nation weighed in and the committee got our message. Now the bill will go to “Mark Up” where it can be amended.

Calling on all the committee members again may not be the best way to influence them. They know what we want and how many people in the Reptile Nation care about this issue. We don’t feel that just calling them again will be effective. USARK is calling for a MASSIVE email campaign directed to all major media outlets to try and draw attention to the issue. If we can generate 10’s of thousands of emails we will create a media story that will bring attention to this issue that politicians and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) don’t want. This has to be a massive effort. We are facing annihilation as an industry and hobby. NOW is the time to stand up and make a difference. Every single person who participates WILL make a difference!

We also want to contact President Obama. He has declared that he wants to be more accessible to the American public than any President before him. He has set up a website and email portal to address issues of lost jobs. If S373 passes thousands of jobs will be lost and thousands of American families will be bankrupted at the hands of ambitious politicians and incompetent government agencies. Please contact the President and let him know you don’t want his government to destroy your hobby or livelihood!

Please follow these simple steps:

1. Contact The Media; Pythons Politics & Destruction of the American Dream Campaign. Click on this link to send a hard hitting email to all the big media outlets:

usark.org/campaign.php?id=9

2. Contact President Obama. Click on this link to let the President know you oppose S373 and the destruction of American jobs:

www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Obama Sample Letter: cut and paste in whitehouse contact portal above

President Obama,
S373 aka the Python Ban is being considered in the Senate right now. It will destroy thousands of jobs and bankrupt thousands of American families. The bill has been sensationalized and politicized and has no basis in real science. In fact a report generated by USGS to justify this bill has been called unscientific by an independent panel of scientists. It is being pushed by powerful special interest groups and it will hurt me financially. It is a confiscation of my personal property rights and will not solve the problems proponents claim it addresses. This is clearly a situation that has become politically driven and ignores science that does not support S373. Please do not allow politics to trump good science and sound policy. This is wrong and you promised in your election campaign not to allow situations like this to occur. Please stop S373.

***Join the Reptile Nation!

Forward this Alert to everyone you know... your friends, email lists, forums, social networking sites... everyone! This will only work if EVERYONE participates!! We must generate 10's of thousands of responses. Do it now! Go, GO, GO!!!!!

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Andrew Wyatt
President USARK

Done and done!

Trey Schneller

All done

Thanks Andrew.

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Brian Gundy

www.for-goodness-snakes.com

Done!! Very easy too.

Thank you for taking the time, to show us all what you feel would help best our battle against these ignorant bills. Mine is sent. Thank you again.

Eric Baker

I for one dont want to see any snake "banned" but the way the pet trade and lots of breeders are pumping out these large constrictors just to make a few bucks is killing the reptile trades image. Here is my post from another forum.
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This is politicians pretending to do their job. This ridiculous law will do nothing and nobody will get in trouble for crossing state lines with a boa or python, how would anyone know?

With all that said, the pet hobby is to blame for this more than anyone. It is completely irresponsible and needless to breed big constrictors. There is no need to breed common Burms, Retics, Rocks, Anacondas, or even Red Tails. 99% of these animals go to people who have no idea what they are in for. It takes a lot of know how and even more space and money to keep a large constrictor. The average snake buyer has NO IDEA what they are getting into when they but these cute little babies. Properly cared for, a Retic or Burm will be 6 feet after 2 years and too big and dangerous for the average person. In my area Zoo's and animal rescues are overwhelmed with the number of large snakes people are trying to unload. They wont even take them anymore. I can get half a dozen free large constrictors tomorrow if I wanted to. Until the pet trade and breeders stop the irresponsible breeding and sales practices of these animals, nothing will change. For christs sake, the Petco near me sells baby red tails and Albino Burms, I guarantee the type of buyer that would buy a snake at Petco has no idea what they are in for.

Breeders CAN NOT keep breeding these animals and selling them to just anyone, its IRRESPONSIBLE!!!!