Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Has anyone been watching this one? http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Service=Billbook&menu=false&hbill=HF755

Doesn't look as nasty as some of the others as far as herps go, but for the sake of exotic mammal owners this one really needs to be taken down.

For those of us who are out-of-state, what would be the appropriate time to start voicing our opposition?
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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

My Growing Zoo:

1.0 Husband (Byron) ^_^
0.1 black cat (Shade)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Zia)
1.2 Cockatoo cichlids (A. cacatuoides yellow-gold)
1.1 WC Cockatoo cichlids (A. cacatuoides blue Peru)
3.3 Pygmy corydoras (C. pygmaeus)
2.0 Endlers' Livebearers (P. sp. Endlers)

>>Doesn't look as nasty as some of the others as far as herps go.

Actually, its the same crap in banning hots and two large monitors. In addition, the very open ended definition of venomous means that technically even garter snakes would be bye-bye.

2 34 (a) Only a member of the family varanidae which is limited
2 35 to water monitors and crocodile monitors.

3 1 (b) A member of the family atractaspidae and genus
3 2 atractaspis which includes but is not limited to mole vipers
3 3 or stilleto snakes; a member of the family heleodermatidae and
3 4 genus heloderma including but not limited to Mexican beaded
3 5 lizards and gila monsters.

3 9 (3) Any member of a family, if the member is venomous,
3 10 including but not limited to an adder, asp, bushmaster, cobra,
3 11 copperhead, coral snake, cottonmouth, copperhead, death adder,
3 12 keelback snake, puff adder, mamba, or rattlesnake.

3 13 (4) A member of the family boidae which is limited to
3 14 anacondas, reticulated pythons, and African rock pythons.

No permits issues except for animals in possession before the law comes into effect.
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Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry
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Australian Venom Research Unit,
University of Melbourne
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Population and Evolutionary Genetics Unit,
Museum Victoria
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http://www.venomdoc.com

I dont see how this is any different or any worse than the "model legislation" that is proposed by NAROA, as being the solution to all of our problems. In many ways, it seems less restrictive than their proposal, which they say the majority of herpers are in favor of.

Ed Stone, WI Herpetological Society
WI Herpetological Society

>>I dont see how this is any different or any worse than the "model legislation" that is proposed by NAROA,

Where are the details of this 'model legislation'.

The proposed Iowa Bill is pretty much verbatim to the WV, SC, WA etc. bills in bannhing hots, constrictors, monitors etc. with no avenue for a permit system for animals acquired once it kicks in. I fail to spot any appreciable difference. Its even more poorly written, e.g. the nice big loop hole for pretty much any colubrid snake to be banned on whim (or through misrepresentation of my research).

Cheers
Bryan
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Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Australian Venom Research Unit,
University of Melbourne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Population and Evolutionary Genetics Unit,
Museum Victoria
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.venomdoc.com

Even better, there are no scientific names listed for any of the animals. "Whaddya mean, cottonmouth? This here's a water moccasin, which isn't listed!"
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

On an earlier version large monitors and iguanas were also on this list. I think this group is both naive and dangerous because they have expressed interest in sending this proposal to public officials and legislators in various states without the permission of the herpers that actually reside in those states and who would have to live with the aftermath of the results of their meddling.
NAROA Model Legislation

Ah but the crucial difference is that the NAROA Model Legislation specifically makes a point about these animals being legal to keep with a permit. If they are not put under some sort of permit scheme, then they will be eventually banned. It really is that simple. Banning of course does nothing but drive it underground, creating a nightmare situation including making it even more attractive to the lunatic fringe who think they are machismo outlaws (with very small penises).

Cheers
B
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Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Australian Venom Research Unit,
University of Melbourne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Population and Evolutionary Genetics Unit,
Museum Victoria
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.venomdoc.com

Sections 5 and 6 of the bill addresses permits.
In reality, for anyone with "high-end" animals, permitting = banning. The objections to permits are described in detail in the 3-part article on the WI Herpetological Society Website (link below) titled "The case against reptile and exotic animal licensing".
WI Herpetological Society

>>Sections 5 and 6 of the bill addresses permits.

The permits are for animals already in possesion, no new animals after that date so they are banned from there on.

4 35 A person eighteen years of age or older who possesses a
5 1 wild animal on the effective date of this Act may continue to
5 2 possess the wild animal subject to all of the following:

>>In reality, for anyone with "high-end" animals, permitting = banning. The objections to permits are described in detail in the 3-part article on the WI Herpetological Society Website (link below) titled "The case against reptile and exotic animal licensing".

While no licensing would be utopia, the dream is over. No licensing sets things up for easy banning. A rational permit system like Florida's is the only way to go. If this is in place, then there is ammunition against a ban. If there is no permit system in place, it looks like an unregulated danger zone and then the herps are sitting ducks (to mix my species metaphors).

Ciao
Bryan
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Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Australian Venom Research Unit,
University of Melbourne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Population and Evolutionary Genetics Unit,
Museum Victoria
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.venomdoc.com

We've got a member of the Iowa Herp Society attending the legislature meetings. It has a grandfather clause in it and he's got good tabs on it. He's a keeping of a large number of hots and a couple crocs so he's got a vested interest in how this turns out.