Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am playing around with the idea of starting a non-profit org. with the following mission statement.

To protect the right of keeping and breeding reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates within captivity in an effort to educate, conserve, and enjoy these magnificent animals.

I just need to know if anyone would be willing to help set-up and promote this? It would have an easy to use website with full U.S. laws currently in use in relation to herps and give alerts to any pending laws. A fund would be put together to be used to battle existing and pending reptile laws. It would also be a place for herpers to come to get help fighting local and state laws. Does this sound feasible? We just need one unified voice for the herp community and I am willing to help put the framework together! Anyone that has any ideas or can offer assistance, please contact me!!! I cannot do this alone!
Thanks
Justyn
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Justyn
Intense Herpetoculture

That actually sounds like a pretty good idea to me. Organizations such as the National Rifle Association and American Motorcyclist Association among others have been very successful in protecting the interests of the members. They started out the same way....

Yeah, but everyone knows that reptile keepers are not gun toting hells angels

Seriously. A good start I think would be a compilation of federal, state and local laws. I know very little when it comes to computers and websites, but if someone could set up a site that would allow individuals to contibute any laws, statutes, or regulations regarding reptiles it would give people a place to start. Levell's book was a great idea, but unfortunately (being in that format) some of it may have been out of date before it got done at the printers. Also, it may not really help the average herper because many local governments have stricter laws than the state. Still, it is a great book and I reference it often.

I have a list of Wisconsin state health departments and If I ever get any time (yeah right) I would like to contact each one and get their laws at the very local levels.

I'll give you an example. Keep in mind that this info was related to me by a third party who has had issues with the city in the past so I take it with a grain of salt . In the city of Kenosha, more than one health inspector has said it is illegal to keep ANY herps, even though the local ordinance they site does not mention reptiles. They say it is illegal to sell them in pet stores even though several pet stores do. There is supposed ot be an ordince prohibiting constrictors over a certain length but he nor I can find any refernce to that in the ordinances provided. This person claims that he has even spoken with the DA and a judge and they say that they can see nothing that would support the health inspectors claims. So whats the law? Who do you beleive?

If every one of us would just take a half hour to an hour of our time, go to our local government office. Find the person in charge (not always easy) and ask what the local laws are regarding keeping reptiles, and posted it to a website it might be the first step.

Steve Schindler

The Louisiana Gulf Coast Herpetological Society is putting a link in their website, to various state's regulations. This is easier than trying to constantly update a website containing regulations. We will also have a publication out for our members, that will give websites and information as well as a synopsis of different parish ordinances and regulations. ~Bill~
The Louisiana Gulf Coast Herpetological Society, Inc.

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Sounds like a fantastic idea to me. Unfortunately, I don't have much in the way of ideas on how to set it up, at least no specifics. You might check into how the NRA operates.

This IS a wonderful idea.

Unfortunately it's been tried before and nobody has ever been able to get it to stick for lengthy periods of time. It's basically a national herp society. There was the NRAAC, then NAROA (I think) But they have sorta dissapeared.

As far as the NRA, this a little different, there isn't a constitutional right to own reptiles. And the AMA is basically a club, relying on promotional items in exchange for dues, and gatherings. They aren't really fighting anything either.

I can see no way of a plan such as this to succeed, unless of course you were to find attornies in each state that would donate their time to fight causes locally.

The ideal way to organize something like this is on a state level. Get a state wide herp society, have gatherings, discussions, an attorny, and of course funding, then ban together with a similar society in another state to make the voice louder. Nationally it's just too difficult to organize.

Start small and work from there.

Thanks
Todd Evans

I have to disagree a little. The AMA is much more than a club. I have been a member of the AMA for many years (because I roadrace motorcycles). They are a big voice in protecting the rights of motorcyclists for street riding and off road riding. They have helped prevent closure of a lot of public land used for off road riding.

I agree that there is no specific Constitutional Right (such as the 2nd Amendment) to "Keep and bear Reptiles". That doesn't mean that we don't have a right to keep them (as long as we obey the laws regarding protected species, and local laws regarding dangerous species), some rights are implied and protected under other amendments and the basic Constitution.

I'm also a Life Member of the NRA. They have also done a lot to protect our rights.

As you said, you have to start small. A lot of small voices turn into a big one.