Reptile & Amphibian Forums

(That NJ "venomoid" cobra bite sure was perfectly timed, wasn't it?)

http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/New-legislation-will-ban-some-exotic-pets/qXROcRmPEkK6y4MVhovp2g.cspx

New Legislation expected to be introduced in the Senate soon will ban the sale of some exotic pets here in the commonwealth.

The question is, is there enough of a problem here that prompted this?

Apparently there is, in fact last year a man who runs a center to help exotic animals. Said this legislation needed to go through specifically about alligators he says he sees.

Senator Richard Alloway is expected to introduce a new bill that Jesse Rothacker says is long overdue. In Pennsylvania it's legal to buy pet alligators that start out tiny and end up huge.

The bill would amend Title 30 and make it illegal to buy or sell American alligators or venomous snakes.

In central pa the problem is worse than most think. Back in 2003 someone let an alligator loose in Harrisburg's Italian Lake, Zoo America later nursed it back to health.

And as for poisonous snakes like rattlesnakes, one bite could mean serious consequences. Rothacker who runs forgotten friends says most people have good intentions but not experience or the right habitat.

Just for clarification. The post states that this bill would ban the buying/selling of venomous snakes in PA, but...does this bill actually ban the keeping and private husbandry&breeding venomous snakes?

Whether this is this going to be another one of those "regulation changes" that make the currently legal animals we have now illegal overnight because they think "its the right thing to do for everyones safety", and strip our previously legal animals of value and our rights to keep them, OR if it is a law specifically about prohibiting the SALE or PURCHASE of the animals in the state of PA, and not possession of we don't know.

Either way I think its unnecessary & disappointing.

I feel your pain RS; been there, done that years ago. My guess is, nothing "good" for herpers will come from this. I see PA going the way of the majority of states already, making possession and keeping of non native venomous snakes illegal. If you're lucky, it'll stop there. If not, any new state regs could be even more restrictive. Headline grabbing venomous snakebites tend to cause these knee jerk reactions from state legislatures. Never seen reactions from the herper crowd ever have much effect on the final laws either. Good luck.......might want to consider disposing of any potentially affected reptiles now, while its still "legal" to do so.

Gonna put a bit of a damper on the Hamburg shows, if this goes through...

I dont get it you can buy fireworks first exit over state lines in pa. And then bring them back to nj where its illegal. Fireworks clearly injure more people a year than venomous snakes. Maybe we should start having snake shows on indian reservations. It works for casinos. LOL