Reptile & Amphibian Forums

New York State is trying to push a bill through that will ban all boas, pythons, hots, crocs and certain monitors. This is very similar to the ordinance we stopped in Chicago last year. This Bill has passed the assembly and the senate, its currently waiting on the governor to sign off on it and make it a law. If passed January of 05 NY State can kiss the bulk of their reptiles good bye. Yes this includes your hypos, motleys, sunglows etc. There is a clause that THEY MAY grant NY residents a permit to keep any animals acquired prior to this law being enacted. However any permits THEY MAY POSSIBLLY grant are for pets only! You are not allowed to breed. But do you really want your $5000 sunglow boa you just invested in to be a pet only? How about your spider ball python? If not we need to get active and stop this!!! I urge anyone and everyone whether you’re a NY resident or not to voice their opinion and denounce this bill. I personally ship a lot of stuff into NY, I know I am not the only one, if your just starting out in business you need to think about this because if this passes this is an entire state you’ll loose the opportunity to ever do business in. I also urge everyone to spread the word to anyone and everyone they can. Contact show promoters, breeders, supply dealers hobbyists etc. Pressure these people, they have huge mailing lists they can spread the word faster then any of us. Make them realize they need to get involved soon enough their may be no one left for them to sell their cages, light bulbs etc to. Let NY know that we will not stand back and allow them to take away our rights as responsible herpers with their blanket laws. NY is one of those states the other states look up to when it comes to legislation so you can bet money on the fact if this bill passes it WILL spread like wild fire. The ordinance we fought in Chicago last year was verbatim the one passed in NYC a couple years back. So if your sitting their thinking I don’t live their so I don’t have to worry about it. There’s your proof you better worry about it.They start with the big things to lay the ground work for the smaller reps.

Below is the link to the internet copy of the bill awaiting the gov’s signature.
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A02684&sh=t
The below link is to a page where you can email the Gov.
http://161.11.3.75/

To Write To The Governor:
Governor George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
Below is a phone number where you can all and let them know your opposition to this bill. Tell them your calling in reference to bill A02684. You’ll then be asked if your for or opposed and asked for your zip code. I called today and gave them my zip and they logged my opposition to the bill even though I am a IL resident. If your moving there give them the zip your moving to.
518-474-8390

Many of you may remember some of you may not. Last year an ordinance came through Chicago as a knee jerk reaction to monkey pox that is pretty much the same thing as the current Bill in NY waiting for the Governor to sign off. This ordinance in Chicago we stopped last year, I was told by more then one person that we would never be able to stop it. Apparently the Aldermen who sponsored the bill is a powerful person within Chicago. I was told he has been known to push ridiculous things through and make them law just out of spit for people he doesn’t like. The people I spoken to who told me we would never be able to stop him or that city wide ban, deal with him on a regular basis and have done so for years. Very best they hoped that with all our support we could get the Aldermen to at least lisen and make the ordinance somewhat sensible. Well our support did the unthinkable and we stopped him from pushing the Chicago ban on reptiles through. When I spoke to these people they made a point that they didn’t think we could win, NOT because they didn’t believe in us, they didn’t think we could win because of the people and their tactics that we were up against. They were wrong, They were in awe, all they could say was thank you and how much they appreciated what WE had done. I know they spoke for the tens of thousands of reptile people within Chicago. My point of all this is two things, number one, we can do it, we don’t have to just roll over and take it from these people. There is enough of us and when we unit we CAN change things. #2 I was told last year that these politicians wouldn’t care what anyone who didn’t live within their district thought. Well they did, whether they cared because some of them realize you or I may become a voting resident in their district, prior to the next election or because of the over whelming response we gave them, I don’t care, all I know is WE got the job done and we need to do it again for NY State.

We need to stand up and let the government know that they have over stepped their bounds. Were Americans and we have rights as private responsible citizens and I for one am tired of seeing them stripped away!
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Jason & Danica
Well, I'm off my rocker, I fell out of my tree, I've been standin' on shaky ground, There's no helping me, yeah, I can't remember my number, I can't remember your name
I can't remember all the trouble I'm in, child....... Well, I'm insane(Ratt, Im Insane)
Classic Dums frozen feeders

An important point, if you do write (and please do!) please be sure that the letter doesn't come across as nasty or unintelligent. A poorly written letter will not help this situation.

I am from PA, but this type of thing can happen in any state! We need to support our fellow herpers!

Traci

ME BEING TEN, IM SHURE MINE SOUNDS UNINTELEGENT (capslock was on, oops!) and it wont make a difference.

Just because you are ten doesn't mean your letter will be automatically unintelligent, or that it won't matter. Every "voice" matters, but people need to be tactful about how they word their letters. Some people let their emotions get out of control, and their words may come across as nasty or threatening. I would think those letters would end up in the trash, rather than being seriously considered. The governor needs to be informed.

Did you see Hoppy's letter, it is really good!

Traci

no

Heres a list of people, Ive contacted who are lending a hand by contacting their costumers and letting them know they need to get involved. I have permission from each person on here to post their names.
Bob Clark
Exotic Jungle, Jay
Mark Lucas
Larry Kenton Maryland reptile farm, Harve De Grace reptile show
Casey Hulse Nature Spirits
Ben Seigel
The Lizard King Mickey Hinkle
Chicago Herp society
Lee Watson Streamwood Reptile show
There’s a bunch more people that I have spoken to, big name breeders and businesses alike that are not on the list, that as well are contacting their costumers and anyone they can think of to oppose this bill. I will update this list in time as it is growing by the hour. Many of these people are not even from NY, so if you see these guys or talk to them let them know you appreciate them going out of their way and standing up for all of us.
Please if you are placing an order today for something tell them what’s up. The company you are placing the order with stands to loose a whole state of potential costumers. Contact your favorite supply company tell them to get involved, post this on your fav forums, contact other breeders ask them to touch base with their costumers. It doesn’t matter if your from NY or not it helps, I live in IL. To those who have already taken action THANK YOU!!!!
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Jason & Danica
Well, I'm off my rocker, I fell out of my tree, I've been standin' on shaky ground, There's no helping me, yeah, I can't remember my number, I can't remember your name
I can't remember all the trouble I'm in, child....... Well, I'm insane(Ratt, Im Insane)
Classic Dums frozen feeders

I also posted this on the Boa forum, feel free to use it as a format if needed. I have been using this letter for a couple of years on the different fights, from Chicogo to small towns I have sent a version of this letter to at least two dozen towns, cities or states.
Please don't let NY fall. This is an issue that should be handled by a Local County of City goverment branch and not a State one. If NY goes it will start a domino effect that will affect most of us!

Governor George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

June 30, 2004

Dear Sir,

I feel compelled to contact you about the pending amendment in regards to keeping reptiles and other exotics as pets. I must first give you some of my back ground and why I feel compelled to contact you. I neither live in your community or for that matter in your beautiful state. However, such legal restrictions tend to have a rippling type effect and do effect us all. You see, I am a hobbyist Herpculturists. I raise and breed several different types of snakes, including Boa Constrictor Sub-species, Corn and Kings Snakes and several Pythons species.

I am a father of two (two girls ages 17 and 13) and a husband. I am also a professional Law Enforcement Officer, I am Deputy Sheriff in Collier County FL. I own my own home and live a very responsible life. I make a good living, save for my children to go to college and I am well respected in the community. However if the legislation, that you and your members are considering, is passed in your State, I would be considered a violator of the laws in which I am sworn to up hold, if I lived in your State.

My question to you good folks would be, what is the benefit that you hope to achieve? Most legislation of this type is born of fear and misinformation. I can almost certainly be assured that your State is not crawling with thirty foot long man-eating snakes? More often then not, such legislation is because a local teenager had a Ball Python that became loose and scared someone.

The Ball Python happens to be the most common type of pet exotic snake and does not normally attain a length of more then four feet. Even some of the larger reptile species that are kept tend to be very docile and pose little to no threat to anyone. Boa Constrictors are one of the most tame snakes that can be kept (they can grow to lengths of 12 feet, but are more commonly seen at about 6’). There are more then 100 times the number of dog bites each year in the United States then there are snake bites, the number is increased again ten fold when you consider only pet or exotic snakes in the equation. I could certainly understand restrictions on venomous reptiles and even a permit type of requirement on non-venomous reptiles or other exotics. But an out right ban of these animals is of little to no use. They are a common pet that poses no danger to the public at large and they provide no complaints from noise they make (such as dogs do barking).
My concern is that you, as a law making council, are deciding on a law with out truly researching the facts. A law based on unfounded fears is of no use to anyone and provides nothing but costly enforcement and future litigation based on constitutional grounds. I would be glad to provide (via telephone, or e-mail) any needed information to truly make an informed decision on this issue.

If you have any questions until then feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

James Hopkins
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Jim Hopkins "Hoppy"
Hopkins Holesale Herps
Hopfam1@aol.com