Sent: February 03, 2012
To: Sen. Sosnowski, V. Susan
Subject: No on RI SB2033 Reptile Ban

Honorable Senator Tassoni and Committee Members,

As a resident/stakeholder in the Rhode Island reptile community I appreciate your concern for public safety. However, your proposed bill is far too over reaching in regards to reptiles. Whom ever assisted in the construction of the bill obviously doesn't understand the natural history or economics of reptiles in RI, particularly boas and pythons; nor their relatively simple captive husbandry requirements. Further, there seems to be no understanding of the difference between occupational hazard and public safety risk.
The reptile industry is a non-traditional agricultural pursuit that represents approximately $15 million annually in the prod uction of high quality captive bred reptiles in Rhode Island ; supplying zoos. museums, research facilities and collectors. Hundreds, if not thousands make their living in this State because of this business. To cavalierly destroy this non-traditional agricultural interest because of a fundamental lack of understanding is unacceptable. As written, this bill will hurt me and my family. It is bad idea to kill jobs in this kind of economy.
These animals simply cannot survive or reproduce in Rhode Island ’s year round climate. No less than four published scientific papers and other articles by well known and respected herpetologists confirm this, one of which was a study performed in the state of South Carolina , which found that all Burmese pythons in a study failed to survive despite being provided "heated artifical refugia".
Working with certain reptiles entails a moderate occupational risk, but historically and statistically, reptiles represent virtually zero public safety risk. Dogs account for 35 deaths a year in this country. Captive reptiles less than one per year. Traditi onal livestock and pets have proven much more of a public safety risk than reptiles. According to US Fish & Wildlife and US Geological Services studies, the rare event of a death as the result of a captive reptile falls into the category of occupational hazard. There is no record whatsoever of a captive reptile creating any measurable risk to the public...NEVER!

Please withdraw SB 2033.
Thank you.
Jennifer Cogswell

RE: No on RI SB2033 Reptile Ban
Friday, February 3, 2012 11:56 AM

From:"Sen. Sosnowski, V. Susan"
sen-sosnowski@rilin.state.ri.us
To:"Jennifer Cogswell"
Dear Ms. Cogswell:

Thank you for your email regarding your opposition to S2033. I appreciate hearing your informative point of view on this issue. I have received numerous emails on this bill. Your comments are very interesting and I will remember them as we deliberate on the bill when it comes before the Environment and Agriculture Committee for a hearing.

If you have any further comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Senator V. Susan Sosnowski
Senate District 37

PLEASE COPY THIS LETTER AND SEND IT TO
SENATOR V. SUSAN SOSNOWSKI
sen-sosnowski@rilin.state.ri.us