Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We need help fast. On Wednesday March 3, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario California. The California Fish & Game Commission will be voting on banning all non-native turtles and frogs. There are a number of us who will be speaking but we need supporters. We need 2 or 3 hundred people to show up and fill in a speakers card. We want you to stay cool and calm. Just say your name and what you do for a living and that you are opposed
to the changes put forth by the Dept of Fish & Game. You will only have 3 min to speak so make notes and stay calm. No swearing or threats. The meeting will start at 8:30 am and the address is 222 north Vinyard Ave in the ballroom. As usual the wonderful Dept of Fish & Game gave us no notice and we only have a few days to respond.
Thanks Michael Luhrs

Contact your local representatives in you state house and senate and tell them (politely of course.) that you are opposed to this type of legislation and do it the context of being upset about them worrying about pet frogs and turtles and not being concerned with high unemployment and the foreclosure crisis. Tell them that if they don't get their priorities straight you will not be voting for them. It may be your fish and game dept. making the rules but your local representatives are the ones who fund their agency.
The fact of the matter is our politicians SHOULD be concerned with unemployment and the economy and the foreclosure crisis. We should not be crying to them "oh, please don't ban my pets" we need to be going after them about their not dealing with the other issues and let them know that if they don't they're fired. These reptile laws are nothing more than misdirection in hopes we don't see their failures. It's time to point out that we do see them.

This will not be done the normal way it only goes to The California Fish & Game Commission

Yes, if this bill passes, jobs will be lost. Does it matter?

The socialists in Sacramento are the ultimate nanny state. They want people on the state's dole. The more people getting free money from the government the more people to vote for those that made it so.

Thus, if jobs are lost more people get free money. Those people learn the politicians put those welfare programs in place and then vote for them. More people out of work = more votes for liberals.

This is a self fulfilling prophecy that needs to stop. But how?

40% of California's education budget goes to teacher unions.

52% of Californians already work for some government agency.

In my area REAL unemployment (the U-6 #) is near 25%.

I see no end in sight. Until our socialist leaders fail just like all others in history, we are doomed.
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AMAZON REPTILE CENTER

So true, Brother. That is one messed up state. I feel for you.
Screws up one big market for the rest of us, too. They have to be insane to kill that money-maker.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

TORTOISE BREEDERS ARE NEXT ! Do they consider "tortoises" to be turtles? Something tells me they will be included! Calif is my biggest State for my sales next to Fl. Another case of the far reaching armes of the law. Soon they will drive the whole industry underground, defeating their own reason they say their doing it for, to keep out non-native herps. Once it goes underground they will have lost all control.Let them know you think Non native frogs and turtles in the wild could be a real bad thing in Ca.and a ban would insure it would happen compared with control with facility inspections that they most likely have already. Its no different than drugs, guns and booze. This is how we convinced the Gov.from baning African tortoise imports when the threat of ticks carring the Heartwater disease were coming in to Fl. The Herpers were up against the Cattle industry that were loaded for bear with an army of big time Law firms. We defeated them right then and there in the court room with this point and they changed their mind and supported us with a program to inspect the shipments instead of an all out ban. Maybe something like this could work in Ca. Jeff Gee of Wildlife Foundation said it best sometime back twenty years ago."If turtles are outlawed only outlaws will have turtles" GOOD LUCK for everyones sake. Vic Morgan......pic.....were next!

It is a shame. It's wrong headed thinking. It's un-American.
Our country is moving in the wrong direction. Taking a step backwards. It is Elitist and discriminatory.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Shameful it is. Some frogs and turtles probably do pose a risk of becoming invasive, but all? No way. They have to be heartless to even suggest such. These things are people's joys and passions and it IS un-American to needlessly take that away.

I wonder how that ferret ban is working for them?