H.r. 669
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Riverside Reptiles
Administrator (HMFIC)
It seems to be true. However, as far as I can tell, it's just going to a house sub committee. TONS of stuff go to sub committees all the time for revue that never ever come even close to ever making it to the actual house floor for a vote. So, although I think it's important on our end to act, I don't think we should overreact.
DDReptiles
New member
Here is a letter I typed up, feel free to send it yourself:
Hello Mrs. Bordallo,
I am emailing in regards the law you proposed (HR-669) regarding banning all non-native species. While I agree with the overall concept of what you were trying to achieve, I disagree with how you are going about doing it. I fully agree that precautions need to be implemented to keep people from just throwing away unwanted pets, which in turn destroy local ecosystems (as is the problem in Guam, Florida, Hawaii, etc.). But what you are proposing is setting a double standard, saying RESPONSIBLE reptile owners, like myself and others, can no longer keep the animals we love and live for, yet an irresponsible dog or cat owner can acquire and dispose of one of the most ecologically damaging species ever to occur.
What I am getting at is, there are lots of RESPONSIBLE owners that keep exotic animals. Many responsible reptile keepers, like myself, are breeding animals that most zoos either don’t breed or overlook. The animals though are being killed off in their natural habitat due to habitat destruction and without our captive breeding efforts there will be NO backup population for future releases, meaning certain death to the species.
You need to amend this bill so RESPONSIBLE keepers can continue to keep the animals they love and truly care for, by allowing some sort of permitting system to be implemented. I agree, not everyone should be able to keep exotic animals (not everyone should be able to have a dog or cat either!) due to the consequences these animals can have on the local environment. I hope you can see that this issue is not just a black and white one, and that you need to amend your proposal so responsible keepers can continue to keep doing what they are doing.
Thanks you for your time,
Derek Dunlop
Hello Mrs. Bordallo,
I am emailing in regards the law you proposed (HR-669) regarding banning all non-native species. While I agree with the overall concept of what you were trying to achieve, I disagree with how you are going about doing it. I fully agree that precautions need to be implemented to keep people from just throwing away unwanted pets, which in turn destroy local ecosystems (as is the problem in Guam, Florida, Hawaii, etc.). But what you are proposing is setting a double standard, saying RESPONSIBLE reptile owners, like myself and others, can no longer keep the animals we love and live for, yet an irresponsible dog or cat owner can acquire and dispose of one of the most ecologically damaging species ever to occur.
What I am getting at is, there are lots of RESPONSIBLE owners that keep exotic animals. Many responsible reptile keepers, like myself, are breeding animals that most zoos either don’t breed or overlook. The animals though are being killed off in their natural habitat due to habitat destruction and without our captive breeding efforts there will be NO backup population for future releases, meaning certain death to the species.
You need to amend this bill so RESPONSIBLE keepers can continue to keep the animals they love and truly care for, by allowing some sort of permitting system to be implemented. I agree, not everyone should be able to keep exotic animals (not everyone should be able to have a dog or cat either!) due to the consequences these animals can have on the local environment. I hope you can see that this issue is not just a black and white one, and that you need to amend your proposal so responsible keepers can continue to keep doing what they are doing.
Thanks you for your time,
Derek Dunlop