Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Look at all of this crap in West Virginia. They define exotic animal as ANY animal not indigeneous to West Virginia!

http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2005_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/hb2635 intr.htm
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2005_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/hb2620 intr.htm
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2005_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/sb137 intr.htm
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2005_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/sb277 intr.htm

The pet stores will be the first fighting that ban wagon. Those laws are horrible because no one ever knows what is allowed.

I am currently living in WV and have recently had some problems with the DNR over some reptile related issues.

And after being charged with "propagation of wildlife for commercial sale"(had a wc timber and she ended up being gravid and when i woke up to find 17 babies i had more than what i could take care of and it was to cold to try a release so i relized there was alot of herp hobbyist out there and i sold a few of them and traded a few)Also i was charged with "Failure to obtain an importation permit" for the snakes i recieved on the trade and charged with "sale of wildlife" for the ones i sold.And a charge for "transportaion of wildlife out of state"

Well i can honestly say that i searched for WV laws and permit info regarding reptile info before all of this happened and couldnt find anything for WV.Emailed the DNR on a couple different occasions and no replys.Well here it is 5-6 months later and i sure wish i would of learned all the laws and regulations or tryed harder to make sure there wasnt any.

But anyways from my recent conversations with the DNR officers they informed me that a couple years ago(i believe 2003) they started regulating reptiles and after being charged i emailed them again for reptile info,laws,and regulations and here is the reply.

>From: "Captain Kaven Ransom"
>To: "Bill Daniel" ,
>Subject: Reptile laws for W.V.
>Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 15:49:04 -0500
>
> In Wv. all reptiles are considered wildlife. If you raise and buy or sell
>dead or alive you must have a Game farm License issued by DNR. To do
>business in the State of WV you must also have a business license issued by
>the Secretary of States Office. To import any Wildlife into the State of
>WV. a person must have a business license, Game Farm License, and a
>IMPORTATION PERMIT issued by Paul Johansen Assistant Chief, Game Management
>Charleston 558-2771. Game Farm License are issued fdrom one of Six District
>Offices and re-newed each year by December 1st. Records must be sent in for
>purchases, sells, transfers, birth, deaths, and a end of the yeard report of
>all of these. You can stop by any District Office and view or obtain a copy
>of the Regulations dealing with Wildlife in the State Of West Virginia 8am
>to 5pm any week day.
> One last reg. you may have to deal with is that the Director for The
>Division Of Natural Resources is the only person who issues a permit to
>import VENOMOUS REPTILES. He does not allow the importation, except for
>educational purposes.
> Being that you are located in District One's area you may contact us at
>825-6787 Farmington W.V. If you have any other questions please feel free
>to call, or stop by.
>
>
> Captain Kaven Ransom
> WV. DNR Law Enforcement
>
>

Also in regards to Native WV reptiles

>From: "Captain Kaven Ransom"
>To: "tennesee jed"
>Subject: RE: Reptile laws for W.V.
>Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2005 08:02:39 -0500
>
>WV law at this time, but may be changing, allows you to catch reptiles that
>are not protected under federal law and keep. you may not breed sell, trade
>without a Game Farm License.

So hopefully anyone from WV or doing buisness with someone from here can find this post before diving in head first like i did and being faced with charges.

The charge was "propagation of wildlife for commercial purposes" not for commercial sale!

On 03/17, SB 277(Creating Animal Regulation Act) was passed in the Senate
Agriculture committe and sent to the Senate Finance Committee. It is the same as
HB2635. You can read the text here.
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2005_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/sb277 intr.htm

Four of it's five sponsors are on this committee. The West VA's legislative
session will go through April 9. This is a nasty bill.

There is a Yahoo group for West Virginia at
:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WestVirginiaPetLaw/

If you are in the state of West Virginia, I urge you to please join this
group. They are working on becoming organized. The group has also asked for our
assistance in contacting the Senate Finance Committee through faxes, e-mail,
calls, etc. I have listed the contact info below. I am trying to assist these
folks since it is a neighboring state. There are some dog and breeder folks there
as well as this bill contains domestics as well. Thanks in advance!

Senate Finance Committee Members

(D) Helmick - Chair
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7980
email: whelmick@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) Sharpe - Vice Chair
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7845
Business Phone: 622-4681
Fax: 622-2752

(D) Bailey
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7807
Business Phone: 294-8800
email: bwbailey@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) Bowman
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7918
Fax: 723-1473
email: jwazell@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) Chafin
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7808
Business Phone: 235-2221
Fax: 327-9178
email: htchafin@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) Edgell
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7827
Business: 455-2291
Fax: 455-9123
email: edgell@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) Love
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7849
Fax: 469-2888
email: shlove@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) McCabe
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7990
Business Phone: 347-7500
Fax: 342-2252
email: brmccabe@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) Plymale
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7937
Business Phone: 696-7098
Fax: 696-6099
email: grays@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) Prezioso
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7961
Business Phone: 366-2483
Fax: 366-2483
email: cglagol@mail.wvnet.edu

(D) Unger
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7961
Business Phone: 285-4477
Fax: 263-3545
email: unger@mail.wvnet.edu

(R) Boley
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7905
Fax: 684-3266
email: donnaboley@mail.wvnet.edu

(R) Facemyer
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7855
Business Phone: 372-7171
email: kfacemyr@mail.wvnet.edu

(R) Guills
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7959
Business Phone: 645-3313
Fax: 645-3314
email: jguills@mail.wvnet.edu

(R) Minear
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7914
email: gmminear@aol.com

(R) Sprouse
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7901
Business Phone: 552-1211
Fax: 925-8895
email: vice@vicsprouse.com

(R) Yoder
Capitol Phone: 304/357-7957
Fax: 535-2809
email: jyoder@mail.wvnet.edu