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Here is a new completely one sided propaganda hit piece demonizing exotics being put out by Animal Planet that was bought to my attetion today:

animal.discovery.com/tv/fatal-attractions/exotic-pet-trade-overview.html

It's no surprise that all of their "sources" come from HSUS and other AR sites.

If you thought that Animal Planet was our friend, or could be "enlightend" on the topic, please think otherwise.
They are out for blood.

This is just insane. We need to slap a lawsuit on these people.

http://animal.discovery.com/tv/fatal-attractions/5-exotic-pet-laws.html
Check out the "Strange Exotic Laws" - it reads just like a page out of the HSUS activism handbook for which states to target and push laws at!

I was talking to my friend Jason and said that I saw the ad bit for the new "season" of "Fatal Attractions" - AKA -

"if you own and exotic, you are insane and it will kill you someday"

And I still think we need to point out the insanity of this stuff to the everyday person - To those who have not seen the add, it shows a hallway and then a door and says "They lived together for years" and pauses and then "he just wanted her love, and she just wanted to play" and then it shows a Tiger licking its lips and then a crash cart in a hospital.

What about some domestics for this frenzy of animal hate? - they kill more people then exotics -

See, they could have Christopher Reeves twisted body shown, and then say "He was Superman, and had the world at his fingertips - until he met his Kryptonite" - and then show the rearing horse that threw him in VA, rendering him a quadriplegic for the rest of his life, or what about showing a cute photo of a Weimeraner (maybe even one of those really endearing William Wegman photos of the dogs all dressed up) and say, "He was the beloved family friend, and no one expected him to be a killer, until one day out came his true predatory nature - and then show the gruesome photos of Liam Perk (he was 2) after being the family's dog had administered the single quick killing bite to his neck and shook him like a ragdoll.

I know we won't see this stuff, because the agenda by Animal Planet is to slur exotic keepers, and the things I suggest above would upset the mainstream animal keepers and might even be considered disrespectful to say, Christopher Reeve or Liam Perk and his family, or the hundreds of other people who could be on shows that are killed by their horses or dogs.

Its perfectly OK though to disrespect and slur exotic animal keepers - remember everyone, we are the new trash on the block!

Right from Animal Planets Website - http://animal.discovery.com/tv/fatal-attractions/5-exotic-pet-laws.html

"According to Alabama's "Thicket" magazine, someone really set on owning a dangerous wild animal could do so whether they live in the country or in downtown Birmingham.

While some residents of these five states might not be surprised to learn a risky animal is living next door, would you? Without federal regulations to keep things in check, having an exotic pet as your neighbor might not be as bizarre as you think."

If you get contacted by Animal Planet - like some people I know have, don't give them ammunition!

They contacted Brian Barczyk for example -
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=653807974#!/BrianBarczyk?v=wall&story_fbid=155554564475883

I go back and forth on what is the best thing to do regarding these "movies". Sometimes I think if someone like Brian is approached it would be much better for him to do it rather than some real moron that's out there. The point is someone is going to do it. I'd rather see the Industry represented by Brian than by someone who does and says strange things for the publiciy of it. Remember the "PYTHON HUNTER" films. Those turned out pretty good for us and the truth about the Pythons was presented to the public at large. Someone once said "KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER". The real key is while filming don't give them anything that can be edited to look like what it is not. I believe it would be better if we represent ourselves as opposed to being represented by someone who is not mainstream..thanks for reading..
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

I agree somewhat Tom. The Python Hunter on National Geographic was VERY good, and was well done.

I think that Brian or you would be GREAT for people to be involved with publicity & speaking. My fear is that animal planet will take whatever you or Brian provide them and slant it what ever way that will make you guys look crazy to suit their agenda.

I think we need to really make an effort to raise up against this stuff. It would be GREAT if we had something like a program or a TV add that identifies what animal planet is doing to us.

I wish USARK, or better yet folks who had the money to do something like that would do so, because I think it would help us a great deal. If we did something like that, then we COULD represent ourselves however we wanted, and wouldn't have to worry about being represented by someone with an anti-agenda.

I mentioned elsewhere on this board that all 3 episodes of that show are available from NatGeo video on one disc for about $15. Got mine.

Tom,

I agree man...The problem is the venue...What network would carry such a "movement" contradictory show?

The alphabet networks are ALL owned (controlled) by corporate interests...

Hey, your idea of farming endangered species for their survival is in pratice man...Ted Turner on a large scale (MT, NM, etc) and on a small scale, there are "farms" and "ranches" such as the Gunpowder Bison & Trading Company (Monkton, MD)...

Later,
Jim.

PS: According the their definition, aren't Bison an "invasive species" in Maryland? Oops, I forgot, Bison meat (and Longhorn) is low fat (and very tasty for wild meat) and we're such an obese nation now...I guess it's all about priorities, eh?
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CSRAJim

In case you are not worried, or hope no one is watching, apparently, according to this - http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/09/17/animal-planets-fatal-attractions-returns-friday-october-8/63954

Fatal Attractions is "Animal Planet’s highest-rated new series among females in 2010"

Some of the comments in the article are particularly special -

“Each story in this series is like a fable with a powerful moral,” says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. “Except fables are deliberate fabrications meant to evoke meaningful lessons. In FATAL ATTRACTIONS, every story is real and gripping as we delve into the passions and the psychology that drive these deadly animal obsessions.”

“When you’re dealing with wild animals, you have to be ready for the worst case which will likely happen at some point,” says Animal Planet’s large predator expert Dave Salmoni. “Wild animals are exactly that – wild; they are born with an instinct to attack, kill and stay alive, despite how much love they might get from humans. These people feel lucky to have an emotional bond with a dangerous animal, but it’s only a matter of time until their luck runs out.”

...you will never be able to convince John Q> Public that keeping "exotic" pets is exceptable because the majority beleive what ever these stupid shows tell them and we all should know how they feel about animals such as snakes and lizards (just follow the recent trends where every little town in every state appears to be experiancing some sort of "problems" with "escaped" or "released" reptiles)while no one complains about the feral cats or stray dogs posing a danger to people and native wildlife...its a frustrating situation that is just going to get worse and worse until "they" get what they want...
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1.0 c.b.02' 7' Pastel Colombian Boa (BCI)(thanks Bill!)"Maverick"
0.1 c.b.06' 6' Firebelly x Pastel Boa (BCI) "Betty Boa"
0.1 c.b. 07 6' Amazon Basin Redtail Boa (BCC)"Lola Boa"
1.0 c.b. 05 6' Blonde Bullsnake "Boo"
1.0 c.b. 05' 4 1/2' Snow Corn "Zero"
1.0 wc 4' Fl.Cornsnake "Iggy"
0.1 cb 18" Okeetee Cornsnake "Bella"
1.0 wc 3'Everglades x Yellow Ratsnake "Achmed"
1.1 wc LTC Southern WhiteLip Pythons "Thorne and Ariel"

Actually you can fight those sterotypes. All it takes is getting involved in your local community and doing some form of outreach. Offer to help the scouts with thier herpetology badges, volunteer for a 4-H exotics club, see if the local PAL center, or Y has a program for kids with pets (or do talks for them). Positive exposure to the animals goes a much greater distance than a program. People need a personal connection to the animals before there is a change..

I'm helping out at the local 4-H..

Ed

"Check out the "Strange Exotic Laws".

I did. It's not hard to see what it really is: HSUS propaganda masquerading as "trivia".

Its been on lots of other channels, and so forth.

http://www.youtube.com/
Its even advertised on you tube!

Its funny, we have all this talk right now about ending bullying and so forth, and we are being bullied relentlessly by these people spreading misinformation and lies like there is no tomorrow!

They also have heavily AR slanted "quizzes" on their site for Chimps, Tigers, and Crocodiles. Expect more animals to be added to this hit piece though:

"There are countless reasons to not even consider owning one of these wild animals. Choose a "pet" below and find out why exotic pet ownership is anything but a good idea.

Animal Planet in no way endorses owning a pet chimp, tiger or crocodile."

It would be interesting to know if this is indeed the official position statement of Animal Planet.

http://animal.discovery.com/videos/fatal-attractions-snake-hoarder-is-bitten.html
The video - Titled "Snake Hoarder is Bitten"

And they out and out called the one lady a snake hoarder - if 23 animals makes one a hoarder, how many of the people on this site are suddenly reptile hoarders?
http://animal.discovery.com/tv/fatal-attractions/episode-guide.html

I also think we should all take a minute or two to register on the message boards there to leave our comments as well. Thoughts?

The "Sheep" keep dumbing it down to give the "Wolves" more control.
How ignorant is that! Intellectual sloth...Society's deadly sin!
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Wolves are very intelligent creatures that serve a useful function in nature. It is an insult to wolves to compare them to anyone involved with animal planet.
Sheep on the other hand are very stupid animals that are useful for providing food for humans and wolves, providing wool and of course doing free advertising for shows on animal planet.
The latter of which I would like to thank all of you sheeple for. I have not had cable for a few years now and have no idea what's on animal planet until some of you sheeple volunteer your free time of your own free will and advertise these shows on here free of charge (at least I assume so.......perhaps you are on the payroll of animal planet or the hsus or peta.....how would we know for sure?).
Perhaps some of you should consider becoming preachers and get money from the record labels for advertising the latest relaeses by kiss, madonna, marylin manson, katy perry etc..... I mean that type of advertising is priceless to the record industries so you should be able to get something for it. Apparently the tv industry has figured this out and managed to push your buttons to do likewise for them.

Being that the "mainstream" does watch TV, and that people DO take things they see on channels like discovery or animal planet as word -> I know, I do outreach and get the things said on those channels repeated back to me verbatim, as "We saw it on an educational program"

Being that the "mainstream" does watch TV, and that people DO take things they see on channels like discovery or animal planet as word, I know this is true, as I do outreach and get the things said on those channels repeated back to me verbatim, It concerns me a great deal.

Its rather insulting that you would even suggest in jest that I might be "payrolled by the HSUS", as I am a long time member of KS, and a lifelong exotic keeper. I will say its great that you don't have cable. I do. I also view sticking my fingers in my ears about such things and going "lalalal - its not happening" - about stuff like this as a very bad idea.

The reason that I post these things, and this information on here is because I see this channel, that formerly took a more moderate stance on exotics and the people who keep and work with them, now amping up its approach in what seems a direct attempt to discredit and slur us as keepers and people. It even has webspace that reads like HSUS material. This is all happening during a time when we are getting a great deal of negative PR to begin with.

I think we should ALL as a community be aware of the things that are being said about us by these people.

I know they put stuff like this one the air for ratings, and I know they love free advertising when people talk about it. I STILL think there is a whole lot more to this then that though, and I feel we (the exotics community in large) are largely taking the whole thing laying down.

I guess to me, its like, are we just going to let them kick us to death while we play dead?

I believe its at our risk that we do not address and react in defense to these sort of things.

I have to agree here Ravenspirit. The way I look at this is, you do not win a fight with a "school-bully" by cowering or running away. You win that fight by sending him back home crying with a bloody nose.

RAVENSPIRIT, I agree with you. The best defense is a good offense and you are correct in my opinion...thanks
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

How about "Sheeple" and "Sheeple Herders" then?

My point being -- we just keep getting dumber and dumber as a society, freely forfeiting and delegating our rights and responsibilities to others, for others to decide right from wrong.
That is why people are so eager to accept such outright BS/urban legend/myth as reality. They're too intellectually lazy to give it a second thought. Besides that, the conjured version is much more titillating than reality and makes for better gossip and water cooler talk. How sad a statement of our society!
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

It reminds me of the quote from the late, great...George Carlin. "If you think the average person is stupid, just remember that 50% of the population is stupider than that!"