Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am personally still without a printer because my computer is having issues, BUT I copied my stuff to disk, went to my local kinkos, and printed a bunch of stuff, including my letters to our 2 senators. In total, it cost me around 40.00$.

In addition to my personal letters to the senators, I copied some of these - www.boasbyklevitz.com/flyer.pdf

And a bucketload of these - www.boasbyklevitz.com/mini.pdf

And some of the form letters. http://www.kill-s373.com/

THEN, I went around and tried to get signatures....got a few, and met with some surprises...

Petsmart - Our local one had no bulletin board, and they wouldn't let me post anything on a door, or leave fliers somewhere for people to take. The manager was polite, took one of the fliers from me and said she would hang it in the break room. 2 other herp owning staffers, sighed a letter to each senator, and took info to give out themselves. They seemed very interested, and that was great to see.

Superpets - Again, said they couldn't let me post anything, but the entire crew sighed individual letters for me to send, and they let me post the flier with the handouts on their bulletin board. They were polite, and so far the most supportive.

Petco - Basically threw me out when I asked if they had heard about this. One person in particular was very unpleasant towards me, even though she claims to own pythons. Apparently doesn't think this will affect her, just "breeders who have no place having these animals to begin with" They also pulled down and threw out the stuff I had put up on the bulletin board - I saw this happen as I was leaving. Other Petco was almost as bad, but I did leave a flier with handouts on the bulletin board.

None of these places will allow me to "solicit", so I can't take one of my snakes and try to get people to sign anything, or even go without the snake, or just go and hand out information there.

I will try bringing some of these letter with me to "That Fish Place" tomorrow. I hope for more luck there, but I am cautious to expect it. I figure because they are independent, and that they sell anacondas, boas, burms, afrocks and retics, they might be more willing to let me get signatures there, and post the info around for folks to see. (someone might have even beat me to it, I haven't been down there in a few months)

Its amazing HOW MANY of these places SELL these snakes, (especially boas, and I know petsmart sells ball pythons now) and from what I am seeing, none of these "corporations" will lift a finger. I guess I "understand" that they "can't allow" people to be soliciting, but it is disappointing that no one will get "their hands dirty" over preventing this, even if they make profits selling these animals to people.

I am shocked how many people have never even heard about this bill, including those who are snake owners. I know its been all I have been talking about as of late.

Has anyone though about doing this at the next herp show here in PA this weekend ? http://www.northernberksreptileshow.com/

I don't know if I'll be able to attend, but I would expect they would allow folks to be there with form letters to our senators getting signatures, so they could overnight them or whatever to Tom Wolfe ? I'd be a great place to raise awareness and rally signatures ?

>>Petsmart - Our local one had no bulletin board, and they wouldn't let me post anything on a door, or leave fliers somewhere for people to take. The manager was polite, took one of the fliers from me and said she would hang it in the break room. 2 other herp owning staffers, sighed a letter to each senator, and took info to give out themselves. They seemed very interested, and that was great to see.

Petsmart would not even allow me in the door with these. Then again since they informed me of the corporate stance to not work with reptile rescues, I do not frequent there.

>>
>>Petco - Basically threw me out when I asked if they had heard about this. One person in particular was very unpleasant towards me, even though she claims to own pythons. Apparently doesn't think this will affect her, just "breeders who have no place having these animals to begin with" They also pulled down and threw out the stuff I had put up on the bulletin board - I saw this happen as I was leaving. Other Petco was almost as bad, but I did leave a flier with handouts on the bulletin board.
>>

Petco had me set up in the front of the building, the staff were directing people to sign. In fact one of the managers got into it with an employee who refused to sign! He also had one employee who hadnt signed it, sign with out my schpeil. However I do partner with that store with my reptile rescue and they pretty much give me carte blanche.

We had a similar incident however here. Eric Roscoe had a WI chain that was very willing to work with him in Madison. He asked me to hit up the local version here in Milwaukee and they out right refused. Wouldnt even allow me to post a flier on their board.
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Usually, it has to go through the corporate office.

>>Usually, it has to go through the corporate office.

I think having an established relationship with Petco as a reptile rescue did assist in getting in there.
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
Email Cindy
Visit kingsnake on Facebook!
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Makes sense. Fits right into the corporate economic model many of us fear may happen.
If PJAC represents stakeholders on the basis of their contribution, which is in turn based on a stakeholder's revenue, makes sense that the corporate players will be the only ones in the game with the resources for adequate representation as well as the corporate resources to function within the ever burgeoning bureaucracy of rules and regulations.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

That Fish Place was just great. I went tonight when I could get the time, and asked if I could get sigs there. I was quickly given the OK, and spent time with my Argentine Boa, letting folks meet and see him, and how docile and friendly he was, and at the same time informing folks about what was going to happen is S373 passed regarding peoples rights to keep snakes like this.

Not only was the staff at That Fish Place happy to help out, they even copied new letters for me when the ones I brought ran out. I left some of the fliers with them to post, and I sent plenty of folks home with the handouts too, so they can research this for themselves.

Tonight alone, thanks to That Fish Place, in a fairly short period of time, I received 50 signatures on individual letters for each of our senators here in PA to send to Tom Wolfe. I hope to be able to go again for a little bit of time tomorrow!