Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We need volunteers to work as liaisons between the herp societies. Were going to need atleast(preferably more) one person from each state who has some extra time and doesn’t mind a few extra dollars on their long distance phone bills. What we are going to start doing is contacting each herp society within your state and letting them know of our presence. Compile a full list of every herp society that is out there. Get a web site up and running with all the herp societies and all the local and state laws for each state so people will know their rights as they stand. From there get all the info on laws and legislation working against us and a line the herp societies to get their members active in fighting these laws.

So what well need is people who don’t mind spending some extra time to start contacting the herp societies within their state. If a law pops up within your state or county well need you to find the actual proposed law, all the info pertaining to the time, date and place it is to be heard. Contact info for the author of the law and any other senator’s, local officials etc that will be hearing the law and can be contacted concerning the proposed law. From that point we get the word out to anyone and everyone we can. Contact all the herp societies within that state and try to get as many people their present as we can when the proposed law is being reviewed. The simple fact of the matter is if we don’t do something and NOW! Some day these forums will be filled with “remember back when I had that boa”. We have a lot of huge groups working against us that have man power and money. We got the man power we just need to get everyone working to together.

Anyone interested in helping or anyone who has ideas how to make this more effective please email me. Also anyone who knows of a herp society please email and let me know how to contact them. Not all herp societies can be found on the web. So till I can get enough people up and running I will start compiling this info. Also anyone who knows of a state or local law in effect or that is being pushed through that can forward me that info I would appreciate that as well. Also I could use a web designer that doesn’t mind volunteering time. If you interesting in help please send me you phone number within the email so I can call you.

I will be posting this in many different forums on different sites and will not be able to respond and or read every reply in all the places I will post it, I will do my best to go back and check everyone but if you feel you have anything that may be of help please email it along with posting the info. Without Thousands of dollars to start this I don’t see any other way we can effectively fight these laws aside from setting up a volunteer liaison in ever state and using the already established resources there. So please we have to get this together.

The is a bill now being passed in Louisiana and the way it is written up they are giving the department of wildlife and fish full authority to drafts laws they see fit pertaining to all constrictors and venomous species or reptiles. If it is passed it could have a detrimental effect on everyone of us. You may not think Louisiana laws have anything to do with you, but think about how many customers you have or may in the future lose there. Also laws like these can be used as examples within other states! Your state may be next! Thanks for your time, Jason

http://www.legis.state.la.us/leg_docs/03RS/CVT1/OUT/0000KMD0.PDF
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Jason & Danica
A hit man for the order-when you couldnt go to school-had a skin job for a hair do-yeah you looked pretty cool-had a habit doing mainline-watch the dragon burn-no regrets, youve got no goals-nothing more to learn--now I know you wont refuse-because weve got so much to do-we got nothing more to lose-so take this number and welcome to-Operation : Mindcrime-were an under ground revolution working overtime...Operation Mindcrime, Queensryche.
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I'm not sure there ARE any herp societies in my state, though I'm trying to start a local club. If I succeed, I'll certainly be in touch. Wyoming's state herp laws are pretty simple, and the only animal you are not allowed to own in the state is (and I found this amusing) the black mamba.

Please visit www.lgchs.org for the full story about HB1468 in Louisiana. The Louisiana Gulf Coast Herpetological Society is the only active Herp Club in Louisiana. There are none in Mississippi. We were unaware of any activity in the Louisiana Legislature until we recieved a call from the LA SPCA asking us to work with the LA Dept. of Wild Life & Fisheries to help formulate new regulations. Now we know what needs to be done. A simple vigilance of Legislative Fillings is crucial. We, as a Society, will be much more dilligent in this endeavor. This will work at a state level but we need to develop contacts to monitor the local and parish (county) levels. We are based in the Greater New Orleans Area and are watching about 10 areas right now. We have great support of local authorities, breeders, pet shops hobbyists and members; it was all cultivated. WE are happy with the results of our labor. The state is giving the Dept. of WLF the authority to enact laws concerning constrictors OVER 12 FEET and venomous snakes. If anyone owns any of these reptiles before July 1, 2003, then WLF MUST issue permits as long as it doesn't conflict with a local ordinance. AND, some members from our Society will get to sit on the committee to form those guidelines. I agree with the concept of networking Herp Clubs. I tried to contact many clubs but it was difficult because many do not put contact information on their websites. The Chicago Herp Society is one of the few that did respond. Kudos to them!
Our Society was reserected several years ago. It takes work to build one. If you want to know how we did it, email me for information. We went from 10 to over 100 members in two years. ~Bill Watts~ Board Member LGCHS and Legislative Committee.
The Louisiana Gulf Coast Herpetological Society, Inc.

Here is a web site that all herpers should look at. They have a weekly newsletter
that deals with herp issues. There are links on the site to a lot of useful info.
the site is "www.herpdigest.org"

I am located in Virginia and will research my state and send as much info as I can.

One thing that makes us in the herp industry look bad is the intentional breaking of the laws
by some in the industry. Last week there were busts at several herp events by state and federal
game officals. They recovered a lot of illegally obtained reptiles and filed charges on several individuals.

We need to help stop this illegal trade by not supporting these type of people.
Those that seek huge profits by black marketing animals as got to stop. This part of the business is fueled by pure greed. Most of us in this business spend years breeding our animals to produce the best of the best. The illeagal trade of reptiles gives us all a bad name.

Count on me for support!!
Thanks,
John Phillips
Phillips Reptile Company