My Patternless Rock Python

[pitbulllady]

I'm doing my share of research on the subject as well, and I'm reading some articles posted on USARK's website.
I'm curious though, how can the reptile nation get support as well? Maybe we can promote reptiles as a new trend in pet keeping. I'm sure that, although some of you would protest, may convince industries such as PetSmart to get involved. I do know they don't make all their money from dog and cat supplies, or they wouldn't be holding a reptile promotion month. I know hobbyist and businessmen are doing their part in supporting USARK with donations and educational shows, but I think if we upped our game, it may help. HSUS is always quick to pressure the government into regulations, and the reptile nation is always quick to defend ourselves. Maybe USARK can do the first move and pressure the gov to stop pulling rights from reptile keepers.
Nonetheless, back to money issues, the more reptile keepers out there, the more supporters USARK has. Promoting reptiles beyond safe animals, but also as unique pets when holding reptile shows would push people to buy a reptilian pet. And that would mean there's more people to support our cause.
Another thing, I do think it's quite low of HSUS to get domestic pet keepers to support them, considering HSUS wants to stop the keeping of dogs and cats as well. Raising the curtain on HSUS' cause to the public, however, could also get supporters from domestic pet keepers as well.

P.S. I'm a little tired, so sorry if this sounds a little confusing. I need to take a nap...

Believe me, Lizardminion, we're ALL doing this. However, keep in mind that you NEED the support of the mainstream media to get your ideas out there to the masses, and the mainstream media is not interested in airing the positives of reptile or exotic pet ownership, only the negatives. Same with "pit bulls"; they seldom air anything positive, and if they do, they refuse to show the dog's picture or mention the breed/type, but let a short-coated, muscular dog so much as pee on someone's tire, and it's all over the news, nationwide. How many of you know about the two fatal dog attacks, neither of which involved dogs that could in any way, shape or form be considered "pit bulls", that took place recently here in SC? I bet most of you can quote several "pit bull" incidents, though, that took place outside of your home states, even if they didn't result in any human fatalities. Remember the story awhile back about the disappearance of small mammals from the Everglades, and how one initial count blamed that on the Burmese Pythons? It was ALL OVER the news, nationwide, picked up by several leading news outlets, but when Frank Mazotti of the Florida FW published his rebuttal a couple of days later, only like, two news outlets, neither of them major, picked it up. The media is only interested in sensationalistic garbage, since that's what the public wants most. Instead of programming like "The Crocodile Hunter", Animal Planet airs stuff like "Fatal Attractions", and the audiences eat it up. When I did educational presentations years ago, people for the most part were receptive and eager to learn more, and would often mention the late Steve Irwin's championing of reptiles, but now when I do presentations, more and more people are combatitive and even somewhat threatening, arguing that I'm wrong because they saw such-and-such on Animal Planet about this snake got loose and killed its owner's kids, and if I was so knowledgeable about reptiles, why wasn't I on Animal Planet? Just a few weeks ago, some guy in a nearby suburb of Columbia, SC, photographed a big Black Rat Snake on a small tree, claiming that the snake was between 15-20 feet long, and everyone insisted that the snake was an exotic, and dangerous, escaped or dumped Python, Boa or Anaconda, even with our state's DNR herpetologist telling everyone it was just a Rat Snake! Most people just did not want to believe the truth, because they've been brainwashed into believing that we're being overrun with huge killer Pythons. Reptiles are very much in the crosshairs right now, and they no longer have someone like Steve Irwin, that the public admires and respects, to champion their cause.

pitbulllady

 

[lizardminion]

Well, we're screwed.

 

[Benzo48]

Yup yup, it's a huge crock of ....well you know. I have alternative ideas on dealing with this issue but they're useless as well. Seeing as my ideas would land me in prison....lmao, j/k

 

[spydrhunter1]

, there is another rule change being considered by the US Dept. of Agriculture's APHIS(Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) that will make virtually everyone who sells animals be required to have a USDA license, and comply with their very stringent rules, including submitting to detailed inspections of your property 24/7, 365 days per year, whenever they feel like dropping in. pitbulllady

I have APHIS permits for exotic millipedes and they do make unannounced visits, didn't bother me at first. Then I found out the local zoo was running an insectarium without ANY permits. The local APHIS guy shrugged it off as an oversight on the zoo's part.