Yes it was quite an ordeal. The State Agriculture inspected every known tortoise keeper for the Tic. Lucky for me there were no tics of that kind at my fascillity and as we walked to the last tortoise to check I asked what they would require if they find the Tic. The required solution was very involved. Land was sprayed, houses, barns, buildings ect. then repeated in three weeks. Tortoises had to be treated and pinned up for a long time, multiple weeks. Then NO KIDDING they wanted to release dozens of Hermans tortoises for three weeks to see if they got the Tics.(they said Hermans were big time travelers).I told them they better hope this last tortoise didnt have any because "there would be none of that going on here" And to get ready to fight me in court. They were nice and very respectfull of my animals. I had called the F.G.F.W.F.C to be there for me and to escourt them around sence I was a legal permit holder from them, and I wasnt sure what they would want to do. I had a female building a nest at the time and told them they could not go in that enclosure. The Wild life cops stood up for me and they let me inspect the nesting female. They had a ligitamit case with the Heartwater Tic, it was a killer of not only Cattle but wild Dear and other wildlife and farm animals. The Herp. comunity did a grate job of convincing them not to Ban them, but I was a little nervice about the speakers in our behalf as most were convicted Wildlife felons! They dont need a good reason now in the POST AMERICA OCCUPATION in Washington and their goons in power the HSUS and PETA. Let pet owners from all walks of life know whats going on. Vic

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