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.

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

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
Chad Martin Big Cheese Rodents
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

It's always the few that ruin everything for many. Because of a few A-----H's harboring dangerous animals inside city limits, a lot of breeders/collectors have to suffer the consequences of fighting unjust laws and regulations.

I hope the promoters and dealers at the White Plains show (July 18th) have petitions on their tables to forward to Gov. Pataki. He may already have his mind made up, but a strong response could change his mind.

Mike Perez

My concern about this one is that those animal rights activists (from API and PETA) are misleading the govenor with their false statistics and propoganda.

Does anyone have a well written Petition to submit to Governor Pataki for Bill A02684?
If so place it here, there and everywhere for people to copy & paste.

Thanks,
Steve
www.serpentsden.com

TIMES-UNION (Albany, New York) 05 July 04 Exotic animal ban could silence call of the wild - Owners outraged by proposal to curb ownership of pets (Elizabeth Benjamin)
Fur is flying over a ban on ownership and breeding of "wild" animals now awaiting Gov. George Pataki's signature.
The measure, passed by the Legislature in June, would also require current owners of such animals to apply to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for a permit to keep their pets at an annual cost of up to $80 per animal.
The issue has pitted the keepers of unusual pets against animal rights advocates. Both sides maintain they are acting in the best interest of both the public and the animals -- some of which are rare or even endangered.
Supporters of the ban say it is needed due to the increased popularity of wild, or so-called "exotic," pets that can be easily acquired from dealers or over the Internet.
The animals were not meant to be confined and require more care than most people can give, ban backers say. In addition, these animals can transmit diseases and could seriously harm their owners, bystanders or emergency workers.
"Certain types of exotic animals aren't fit to keep as pets," said Stacy Wolf, director of legislative services for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Exotic pet owners say they are responsible caretakers who are being unfairly penalized for a few people who mistreat their charges. They call the $80 fee onerous and threaten to sue if the ban becomes law.
"New York does not have an exotic animal problem, we have a human stupidity problem," said Deborah-Ann Milette, who keeps four large cats -- three servals (long-legged African wildcats) and one caracal (sort of a lanky lynx) in her Warrensburg apartment.
"You can't tell me I've got to pay more to register a monkey that weighs 6 pounds and don't bother anybody than a bull mastiff that weighs 130 pounds and can tear you apart," said Ron James Sorenson, who keeps nine monkeys in his Bronx home.
The new rules would apply to a veritable Noah's Ark of creatures -- from monkeys, bears and large cats to venomous snakes (which already require a DEC license for private ownership), boa constrictors and pythons, most lizards and all crocodiles.
Those who violate the ban would risk losing their animals and a fine of up to $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for subsequent offenses. Licensed zoos, veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators and researchers would be exempt.
More than a dozen states ban private possession of wild animals. At least seven have partial bans. Others require permits or licenses for many of the species in New York's legislation. New York City already has a ban stricter than the state proposal.
In Albany, the exotic pet ban bill has been pending since 2001. A campaign by supporters and a string of high profile media reports of animal attacks, such as a man who was badly bitten last fall by his pet tiger in his Harlem apartment, helped spur lawmakers to act.
Assemblyman Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, the bill's sponsor, said lawmakers sought "a balanced" approach.
"What we tried to do was address public safety and, at the same time, be reasonable," Tonko said.
The original bill was modified, partly because of heavy lobbying by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, which hired powerful Albany lobbying firm Hinman Straub to represent its interests. The council paid Hinman Straub about $57,000 over the last year to lobby on this and other animal-related issues.
The ban's sponsors compromised, leaving out iguanas, among the most popular exotic animals sold as pets, and birds, which are equally popular -- even among state lawmakers.
Supporters of the ban admit it will be hard to enforce. The DEC has neither the staff nor the resources for a full-scale animal census, so it will have to rely mainly on voluntary compliance or complaints.
The state hasn't had much luck enforcing an existing registration law that took effect last April. The law requires exotic animal owners to register with their local municipal clerk or risk a fine. The clerks must send the information to police and emergency services workers.
Several local clerks contacted last week had no knowledge of the registration law and no exotic animals on file. A spokesman for the state Department of State, which was supposed to develop a list of exotic animals targeted for registration for the clerks, said it is just being completed and has not yet been sent out.
If the ban becomes law, Milette said she worries exotic animal owners will "go underground" and stop seeking care for their pets. She also fears an increase in euthanized animals taken from owners who disobey the rules.
The ban could cause more exotic animals to be killed, Wolf conceded. But the ban, she hopes, will ultimately discourage people from getting pets they can't care for, preventing animal cruelty.
Milette maintains her cats, which are all declawed, are no more dangerous than dogs, which bite more than 4.7 million people a year, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Approximately 800,000 people seek medical treatment for dog bites a year, the association said.
There are far fewer reported exotic animal bites, Milette pointed out, although that may reflect the fact that fewer of them are kept as pets. But they do happen.
In 2000, a Troy child was mauled by a serval cat. That same year, a Queensbury educator had 90 snakes and other reptiles seized from his house because of poor care. In 1997, a pet monkey went ballistic in a Central Avenue pet store and did considerable damage.
Sue Arnold, an exotic animal breeder in Florida who sells cats like Milette's for $1,800 to $2,000 apiece, said these pets require considerably more care than an average cat or dog.
"It takes a person who is willing to raise another child," Arnold said.
Arnold opposes an all-out ban on exotic animals, but favors a permit system like Florida's, which requires would-be owners to attend training classes on handling the species they want to acquire.
Like many exotic animal owners, Milette is unquestionably dedicated to her cats: Qe Tesha of the Nile (the caracal) and Cleopatra, Noah and Motuka of Africa (the servals). On permanent disability, she stays home with them all day long and never leaves them alone or allows them outside unsupervised.
Milette, who says her primary residence is in Rhode Island, said she will leave New York rather than seek a permit if the law takes effect. She already lost one pet to such a ban.
Milette was fined in Massachusetts for keeping a serval named without a permit. She later had to surrender her cat to authorities after refusing to apply for a permit. In 2000, she was cited in New York for allowing a "dangerous animal" to stray too close to a public space -- the sidewalk -- while it was leashed.
Milette has a U.S. Department of Agriculture license to exhibit her cats, which she does by offering free educational programs. She says federal inspectors come annually to her home to make sure it's suitable for her pets, and says a state ban would be an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
"I'm already regulated," she said. "This law is redundant and we don't need it."
Exotic animal ban could silence call of the wild

Would like to see a list of who voted for or against A02684,
so the "pros" can be bombarded with e-mail and letters.
Especially Mr.Tonko, the main sponsor.

Thanks,

Mike