Ban of exotic pets?

[Doozer]

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Do you have any thoughts on this Lacy act

 

[Arachnoclown]

Do you have any thoughts on this Lacy act

This is all old news except the backdooring of the act. I wrote both of my Senators and my House Representative.

 

[Padraig Sea]

Here is the actual text of the Lacey amendment in this bill. It makes massive changes to an already overbroad and bad law that’s enforced arbitrarily and capriciously already.

Takeaways are that USFWS could bad an interstate transport of any non-native species it sees fit overnight. There would be no public review, and because this would be codified in law there would be effectively no way to stop them.

Note that this isn’t the ESA - it doesn’t just apply to commerce. Bringing a listed animal over state lines to visit a vet would be a violation.

It also effectively ends imports as we know if. The law creates a “white list” of species that USFWS decides you are allowed to import. I can tell you based on years of experience and dozens of imports that they want excuses to say no, not yes.

Thank you to those of you who’ve reached out to legislators. Please continue doing so, and please follow industry groups like USARK for actions you can take as the Senate reviews this bill and, hopefully, strips out this hobby killer.

 

[Nurse Ratchet]

So I've found most people I speak to haven't even heard of the Lacey Act. I'm not getting to worked up. Que sera sera. But I am taking some small initiative to spread information. I have 5 pet shops in my general area and have already spoken to the employees at one encouraging them to look into the Lacey Act and how it may effect their business if it passes. 4 to go.

 

[arachbiodude]

I wrote my Senator in Alabama.

 

[Padraig Sea]

So I've found most people I speak to haven't even heard of the Lacey Act. I'm not getting to worked up. Que sera sera. But I am taking some small initiative to spread information. I have 5 pet shops in my general area and have already spoken to the employees at one encouraging them to look into the Lacey Act and how it may effect their business if it passes. 4 to go.

The Lacey Act has been in force since 1900 and has been amended several times. It’s probably the most commonly prosecuted wildlife law as it’s effectively a catch all. In 2018 USFWS began interpreting and enforcing it in a new way, which lead to them effectively banning the import of all Brazilian species. They’ve since expanded that to many other countries (Colombia, Venezuela, Yemen and Malaysia in my personal experience).

This pending legislation would make Lacey an even more dangerous weapon in their arsenal. I cannot stress enough that this is not alarmism, and there’s a reason that everyone from the big and reptile communities on through to the aquarium trade are loudly voicing their concerns. This is a big deal.

 

[Padraig Sea]

So I've found most people I speak to haven't even heard of the Lacey Act. I'm not getting to worked up. Que sera sera. But I am taking some small initiative to spread information. I have 5 pet shops in my general area and have already spoken to the employees at one encouraging them to look into the Lacey Act and how it may effect their business if it passes. 4 to go.

Also, thank you for spreading the word. Please don’t forget to look up your US senators and representative and voice your concerns. There’s a great email template on USARKs page that makes it super easy and quick.

 

[mrsoul1974]

Make tarantulas great again. I didn't vote for Biden.

Let's go Brandon!

 

[Padraig Sea]

There are republicans who will vote for this too. I think the worst thing we can do is turn this into a red v blue debate. We should all be united around this common interest.

 

[PanzoN88]

I could post my thoughts here, but I don’t want to type it all out again, but though we may be able to keep what we have until further notice, but in general the bill effectively kills the hobby in the US as a whole.

Because I do intend to move out of state eventually. Other than what I have already, I am officially out of the hobby for now.

 

[Nurse Ratchet]

Don't throw in the towel. It's like when a level 1 trauma rolls in who looks beyond hope, or a stable patient who came in for nausea suddenly codes... you don't just stand there. You put on your big girl panties (or your game face fellas) and you do all that you can.
Talk to people, friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, the person in line next to you at the store. Use social media, if you're on any of them. Write letters. Make flyers and pass them out in front of exotic pet shops. Go inside and talk to the employees. Collect signatures on a petition.
Realize and accept that what you do may not change the outcome, but it also just might.
Complacency is different than acceptance. It allows bad things to happen.
We all react differently.
My stress response is binge buying.
This hobby has provided my with hours of relaxation in just the few months I've been involved. It has given me a creative outlet, and helped me conquer a debilitating fear.
Don't give up.
I don't say this to upset anyone. It is meant as encouragement and support. In the end, what will be will be. But I plan to be able to say that I tried to make a difference.

 

[Padraig Sea]

Don't throw in the towel…
Don't give up.

This, 1000%

Keep emailing, keep calling.

 

[Arachnoclown]

I could post my thoughts here, but I don’t want to type it all out again, but though we may be able to keep what we have until further notice, but in general the bill effectively kills the hobby in the US as a whole.

Because I do intend to move out of state eventually. Other than what I have already, I am officially out of the hobby for now.

Just moved last year...not one person searched or knew I had 200 plus tarantulas in my trailer. Just like my guns, no one is going to come knocking on my door for either. Nothing , not even some back door law is going to stop me or make me weak and crumble. I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing regardless. Write your representatives.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Don't throw in the towel. It's like when a level 1 trauma rolls in who looks beyond hope, or a stable patient who came in for nausea suddenly codes... you don't just stand there. You put on your big girl panties (or your game face fellas) and you do all that you can.
Talk to people, friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, the person in line next to you at the store. Use social media, if you're on any of them. Write letters. Make flyers and pass them out in front of exotic pet shops. Go inside and talk to the employees. Collect signatures on a petition.
Realize and accept that what you do may not change the outcome, but it also just might.
Complacency is different than acceptance. It allows bad things to happen.
We all react differently.
My stress response is binge buying.
This hobby has provided my with hours of relaxation in just the few months I've been involved. It has given me a creative outlet, and helped me conquer a debilitating fear.
Don't give up.
I don't say this to upset anyone. It is meant as encouragement and support. In the end, what will be will be. But I plan to be able to say that I tried to make a difference.