In the first line it says, "We fully support BANNING ALL IMPORTS"!
It goes on to say that we support tagging all large reptiles, snakes and other animals deemed to be hazardous to our environment or the populace.
These are NOT things that we support.
1.) Importing Reptiles works hand in hand with captive breeding efforts to form the backbone of the reptile industry. Think of about it this way, nearly EVERY morph we work with originates from imported stock. Imports help to diversify the gene pool.
Banning imports would negatively effect foreign economies...as well as the economy here.
Ball Pythons are ranched, returning the adults to their habitat.
This allows the natural population to increase while providing us with a superior product. Captive Hatched Ball Pythons thrive in captivity. Reptiles are imported under strict regulations in regard to how they are packed and shipped.
The Import Market has also fostered African Breeding Programs.
Supplying you with CAPTIVE BRED IMPORTS.
Blood Pythons are harvested from palm oil plantations in Indonesia as a source of snake skins...Large Adult Bloods (including gravid females) used to be killed and the eggs were simply tossed in the trash. But now...because of the Import Market for Captive Hatched Import Reptiles these eggs are hatched. By importing baby captive hatched Bloods we have literally saved THOUSANDS of snakes that would otherwise never have been hatched. Importing Captive Hatched bloods has also now created a market that previously did not exist....it has also encouraged a completely new market in Indonesia. Now they are finally starting to breed Blood Pythons that were previously only seen as a source for skins. These imports supply us with a better product that we can feel good about.... clean, healthy, CAPTIVE BRED Import Blood Pythons. To ban imports would destroy that market. And it would go back to business as usual in Indonesia...tossing eggs from snakes killed for their skins.
Green Tree Pythons are now Captive Bred on Indonesian Farms.
Why? Because there is a demand for imports...and these imports have a positive impact on both foreign and domestic economies.
The market for imports literally saves countless numbers of turtles, which would otherwise be slaughtered and eaten in China and Southeast Asia. Hopefully the market for live imports could start similar captive breeding programs in China and Southeast Asia for these turtle species...BEFORE they are wiped out.
But for now at least perhaps they can be appreciated as LIVE turtles that were imported and can be included in our captive breeding colonies.
Now, for the other part....
2.) Who will be the person who deems YOUR animals to be hazardous?
Will it be some extremist organization like HSUS, or PETA?
Will it be some politicians in Washington who have never owned a reptile in their lives and have been spoon fed by the overzealous Media that spews propaganda laced headlines????
We have seen what they have already done...do you really want to allow them to decide what they want to deem a hazard?
This slope is getting mighty slippery.
I have serious reservations about this petition!
Who authored it?
I am just a little suspicious.
Your rights are not taken away all at once.
You give them away...a little at a time...often unknowingly.
Be careful of where you sign your name...although it may be quick and easy...it might also NOT be what you had intended.
If you want to help...take a few more minutes and write your OWN letter.
This petition in NOT supportive of our hobby or business! Perhaps we could make a REAL petition....or better yet, get on the organized front...and check out USARK or PIJAC.
Harlin Wall - WALL TO WALL REPTILES!
970-245-7611
970-255-9255
