A good friend of mine is involved in all sorts of animal groups and she got an interesting email that I thought I would share so we know how much traction these bills have.
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From: "Carole at Big Cat Rescue"
Subject: Your call is needed today to pass important legislation regarding captive wild animals.
An important bill regulating the possession of captive wildlife is near final passage...
Take Action!
Please call your Representative today
CS/HB 318 - Wildlife Regulation has passed the Florida Senate, and is now on 3rd Reading in the House, which means it is on the brink of passage and going to the Governor for signature.
This great bill will prohibit any person from possessing, importing, selling, trading, or breeding certain reptile species, including any reptile species designated as a reptile of concern by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The bill also expands bonding requirements for the possession of Class I animals, and expands civil penalties to entities that are convicted of certain wildlife laws. The commission is required to submit annual reports listing each species in its list of reptiles of concern, conditional species, and prohibited species, and is directed to evaluate adding species, including iguanas, to its reptiles of concern list. Finally, the bill provides consistency in nomenclature related to native and nonnative wildlife.
This bill is a huge step forward in regulating the multi-million captive wildlife trade in Florida. Please take a moment to call your Representative today, and let him/her know that it is important to pass this bill and send it to the Governor for signature into law. Please act today. The 2010 legislative session ends on Friday, April 30th.
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Understand how many people get this email and think they are doing "the right thing" and supporting "the right cause". I dont know why "Big Cat Rescue" is taking the position that they are but this isn't good.
