Lacey Act 2022

[darkness975]

Are any of you prepping for the worst (i.e. purchased or planning on purchasing additional tarantulas you weren't necessarily planning on getting before this came into the spotlight)?

Me.

But I agree it's best to take action and write now. We need to stop this. I'm literally losing sleep over it.

 

[MrsHaas]

Can SOMEONE teach me how to write to the senator (or whomever) asking them to throw out the Lacey Act

I know zero about politics? Plz help me!!

 

[darkness975]

Can SOMEONE teach me how to write to the senator (or whomever) asking them to throw out the Lacey Act

I know zero about politics? Plz help me!!

In the first post at the very bottom the OP included a link with further details.

 

[coldbl00ded]

When does this crap go to the senate?

 

[Nebs Tarantulas]

When does this crap go to the senate?

It’s been in the senate I believe

 

[Comatose]

It’s in committee in the senate now. They have to reconcile it with a similar but but smaller bill which does not contain the Lacey component. It will be a little bit before it actually moves to a vote.

 

[darkness975]

I am hoping that this does not come to pass.

 

[Matt Man]

and folks, since we really don't have an organization (yet) you may want to consider joining USArk. They are out there advocating for all of us

ALERT: America COMPETES Act of 2022 Lacey Act Amendments | USARK - United States Association of Reptile Keepers

usark.org

Can SOMEONE teach me how to write to the senator (or whomever) asking them to throw out the Lacey Act

I know zero about politics? Plz help me!!

this will help folks. Mods, if this is an issue, you can pull it. You can scan the QR.

https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-Lacey-SD.pdf

 

[Introvertebrate]

I am sick and tired of being laughed at. Almost everyone seems to think this is a joke and I am some kind of paranoid crazy person.
To those of you that understand the gravity of this, I stand with you in hoping that this does not come to pass.

No not paranoid, but I am starting to think your username is appropriate. Why not wait and see how this all plays out? I'm not reading much doom and gloom on the other animal message boards I frequent.

 

[l4nsky]

No not paranoid, but I am starting to think your username is appropriate. Why not wait and see how this all plays out? I'm not reading much doom and gloom on the other animal message boards I frequent.

IMHO, the ones that aren't taking this seriously (or "freaking out") are the ones who:

• Don't think this will pass and are being complacent.
• Think this will pass, but trust that lawmakers and FWS will get the "whitelist" correct and their favorite animals will be on it.
• Think this will pass, but think it will have minimal effect due to the perceived popularity of the chosen exotics they work with.
• Don't fully understand the impact this will have on the hobby and choose to remain ignorant.
• Keep exotics for the "cool factor" and clout in the first place and think they'll be even "cooler" now that they have "illegal exotics".
• Romanticize breaking the law and have never truly had an illegal hobby or habit that hangs over their head causing stress just waiting for the hammer to fall.

Look, here's the truth. If this passes, the tarantula hobby will be all but dead in a decade or less. I'm not being overdramatic, I'm being a realist. There will be NO importation of new species or genetics. There will be NO legal interstate trade. There will be fewer breeders as there will be considerably less legal financial incentive and legally offloading slings will become immensly difficult without interstate customers. The majority of species will die off in US collections because of this and because of the short lifespans of MM, the timing restrictions with a female's potential molt cycle, and some female's propensity to eat MM's.

I CAN'T stress this enough. If you want to see these species continue to exist atleast in captivity and be available for future generations to enjoy, observe, and study then contact your Senators!

 

[Matt Man]

IMHO, the ones that aren't taking this seriously (or "freaking out") are the ones who:

• Don't think this will pass and are being complacent.
• Think this will pass, but trust that lawmakers and FWS will get the "whitelist" correct and their favorite animals will be on it.
• Think this will pass, but think it will have minimal effect due to the perceived popularity of the chosen exotics they work with.
• Don't fully understand the impact this will have on the hobby and choose to remain ignorant.
• Keep exotics for the "cool factor" and clout in the first place and think they'll be even "cooler" now that they have "illegal exotics".
• Romanticize breaking the law and have never truly had an illegal hobby or habit that hangs over their head causing stress just waiting for the hammer to fall.

Look, here's the truth. If this passes, the tarantula hobby will be all but dead in a decade or less. I'm not being overdramatic, I'm being a realist. There will be NO importation of new species or genetics. There will be NO legal interstate trade. There will be fewer breeders as there will be considerably less legal financial incentive and legally offloading slings will become immensly difficult without interstate customers. The majority of species will die off in US collections because of this and because of the short lifespans of MM, the timing restrictions with a female's potential molt cycle, and some female's propensity to eat MM's.

Kind of like how Ukraine didn't take our intel that the Russians would attack seriously either...

 

[goliathusdavid]

Wanted to share the response of one of my senator's offices to my writing. Obviously it's automated politician speech, however it may be helpful to those who are confused about the process ahead. It's certainly more succinct than a lot of my analyses have been. The Senate passed in 2021 its own version of COMPETES (USICA), which, though including a lot of wildlife enforcement stuff (almost entirely positive), did NOT include any Lacey amendments. The next step the Senate faces is the merging of these two bills, a process which includes what is likely to be an extensive conference period.
This conference period is when the amendments, if they are to be removed, must be removed. So spam your representatives and senators from now till the end of it. Force everyone around you to do the same. It is not at all clear what will happen, but it is still fully possible to stop these amendments from being included in the final law. So do your part. And maybe occasionally your senator's office will send a nice automated response.

Now it's time to spam some more and get my friends to do the same...

 

[YungRasputin]

Are any of you prepping for the worst (i.e. purchased or planning on purchasing additional tarantulas you weren't necessarily planning on getting before this came into the spotlight)?

absolutely stocking up on bucket list spiders, scorpions and snakes - primary reason why i went ahead and acquired my red tail boa baby

 

[starlight_kitsune]

Are any of you prepping for the worst (i.e. purchased or planning on purchasing additional tarantulas you weren't necessarily planning on getting before this came into the spotlight)?

I said I wasn't going to buy anymore until I knew whether the act was going to pass or not, but I came across the chance to get some of my wishlist Ts for a decent price. They were all on my list to get eventually, but I decided to go ahead and just grab the five of them at once just in case. I only know one retailer local to my state and he's moving to Texas. I'm sure there's someone else as well but I haven't found any yet.

 

[darkness975]

I said I wasn't going to buy anymore until I knew whether the act was going to pass or not, but I came across the chance to get some of my wishlist Ts for a decent price. They were all on my list to get eventually, but I decided to go ahead and just grab the five of them at once just in case. I only know one retailer local to my state and he's moving to Texas. I'm sure there's someone else as well but I haven't found any yet.

I don't have the room or I would.

 

[starlight_kitsune]

I don't have the room or I would.

I am definitely at capacity atm. I mean technically I could fit more slings in vials or deli cups, but if I'm keeping in mind enclosure sizing as they grow and need rehoused, then there's just no way I could fit more than one more spider, and even that would be pushing it so I'll likely wait until we either a. move or b. one of my males passes before acquiring anymore.

 

[Matt Man]

absolutely stocking up on bucket list spiders, scorpions and snakes - primary reason why i went ahead and acquired my red tail boa baby

I added a couple captive bread Sri lankan pokies before the lockdown. The majority of my collection is adults and subadults so 26 takes up considerable space

 

[l4nsky]

I added a couple captive bread Sri lankan pokies before the lockdown. The majority of my collection is adults and subadults so 26 takes up considerable space

You need racks on racks on racks lol. I have a 42"x18"x72" that fits fifteen 5g enclosures. Get two of those and you're whole collection could possibly be kept in a 3' x 3.5' area of floor space .

 

[Matt Man]

You need racks on racks on racks lol. I have a 42"x18"x72" that fits fifteen 5g enclosures. Get two of those and you're whole collection could possibly be kept in a 3' x 3.5' area of floor space .

I have racks. My house was built in 1923 and I don't think we have room for racks that size. For sure not 2. And many of my enclosures are bigger than 5G. I keep my bigger species in 10G
But appreciate the help

 

[YungRasputin]

You need racks on racks on racks lol. I have a 42"x18"x72" that fits fifteen 5g enclosures. Get two of those and you're whole collection could possibly be kept in a 3' x 3.5' area of floor space .

different set up but i’ve managed to condense a whole room of specimens down to 3 shelves fitting nothing but Exo Terras - never underestimate a good shelf haha