Tarantula Legalities

[Bedlam]

Does anyone have (or know of a resource that contains) any info regarding the legalities of owning a Tarantula? The city I currently live in has a ban on them, but you can go to a suburb and get a T with no problem. Yet it is still illegal to breed, sell, own or buy a T in the city I'm living in.
A friend of mine has owned many for years and they're illegal where he lives too. Not sure what type of fine or penalty there would be for owning one. I try to keep it hush hush and the pet store thinks I get crickets for a lizard. This is my 2nd T (first one died) and I'd hate to see anything happen to her!!

 

[YouLosePayUp]

I would just be hazarding a guess but for one or two on first infraction it would be a slap on the wrist aka "get rid of them or we'll fine you". Second infraction or a decent size collection like mine could possibly net $500 per The government of Ontario happens to love the number 500 so thats why I would guess that would be tops for a collector. Now a breeder would be a different story.

 

[Bedlam]

Thanks for the info. I'll make sure to continue keeping it hush hush. I owned a T when I lived in Vancouver and while she died in transport to Ontario, I became addicted to the animals. And since I'm responsible with my new lady, I see no harm. That's a big fine to face though!

Since you're also in Ontario, do you know of any good places to get animals? I found a great place in Port Credit, Mississauga. Wondering what else there is out there.

 

[NeilD]

Tarantula

Do you know what the reasoning behind the illegality of keeping T's in Canada is

 

[moricollins]

Not CANADA as a whole, just their region.

 

[HuonHengChai]

Singapore fines Sin$2000 for each tarantula

 

[Mike H.]

Very good place to get spiders is from Martin, he goes by Tarcan on the boards...he is from Montreal and he ships...

Regards, Mike

heres a link to his website...


http://www.tarantulacanada.ca/English/English.htm

 

[Sevenrats]

Laws like that are old and usually exist so that you can't keep venomous animals. People are pretty stupid sometimes. That law probably came into existence in the 50's or 60's. It is to prevent people from keeping rattlesnakes and cobra and tarantulas just get lumped in.

How many times have you heard of an escaped T attacking someone. Never. Escaped dogs bite people all the time but that's OK.


Ignorance.

You know you could go to a town meeting and educate people to get the law changed.

 

[MizM]

Unfortunately, those who make the laws are completely ignorant of the subjects of the laws they make. (Did that make ANY sense?)

The law is different everywhere, I would check your local governing entity for the exact laws and penalties.

 

[Bedlam]

The law doesn't even apply to regions. It's on a city by city basis. So while I can't get a spider in the city I live in now, I can move a 5 minute drive away and it would be perfectly legal. So the ancient law makes sense.

I'd like to take a proactive approach to this but at the same time, if I do I'd be afraid that I'd be painting a big bullseye on my chest for people to make an example out of me as a tarantula owner.

Any suggestions?

 

[Fille]

Unfortunately, those who make the laws are completely ignorant of the subjects of the laws they make. (Did that make ANY sense?)

The law is different everywhere, I would check your local governing entity for the exact laws and penalties.

A rather perfect description of how stupid laws come to be I'd say:clap:

@ Bedlam: If you don't plan on getting a lot of T's, the law is probably a non-issue. Chances of people finding out you have a few T's are pretty slim. I know I wouldn't care, but then again I'm not the most law abiding person around.

 

[Bedlam]

A rather perfect description of how stupid laws come to be I'd say:clap:

@ Bedlam: If you don't plan on getting a lot of T's, the law is probably a non-issue. Chances of people finding out you have a few T's are pretty slim. I know I wouldn't care, but then again I'm not the most law abiding person around.

I'm not sure how extensive my collection will get. I've only got a rosie right now, but I plan on getting at least two more. My main policy is that nobody touch my tarantula but me for the simple fact that if they get bitten and go to a hospital, I'm liable. I also keep my T in a tank made by a company called Exo Terra. The tank has a screen lid that snaps shut and front doors that open up and also snap shut. So there's no possible chance my T can get out.

 

[maxident213]

My main policy is that nobody touch my tarantula but me for the simple fact that if they get bitten and go to a hospital, I'm liable. I also keep my T in a tank made by a company called Exo Terra. The tank has a screen lid that snaps shut and front doors that open up and also snap shut. So there's no possible chance my T can get out.

If I were you, I'd keep as many Ts as I wanted, and on the way-off chance you ever have to talk to the authorities about them, tell them exactly what you just said up there. :clap:

 

[eman]

The law doesn't even apply to regions. It's on a city by city basis. So while I can't get a spider in the city I live in now, I can move a 5 minute drive away and it would be perfectly legal. So the ancient law makes sense.

I'd like to take a proactive approach to this but at the same time, if I do I'd be afraid that I'd be painting a big bullseye on my chest for people to make an example out of me as a tarantula owner.

Any suggestions?

Yes, the law you are talking about is called a city bylaw and it only applies to a given city or region. Here's a link to Canadian bylaws http://www.crd.bc.ca/bylaws/index.htm

If you are speaking of the city of Toronto, I think the bylaw which outlaws most arachnids and other "poinsonous/venimous" inverts and such, was introduced only a few years back. I was living in TO during this time (2000-2002) with a healthy collection of Theraphosids and the Toronto Sun even did an interview with me to throw into the controversy of that specific bylaw... I never ran into a single issue with the law despite the fact that I did not hide my collection... My take is that they are not very interested in arachnids/theraphosids and I highly doubt anyone will give you much grief.

Cheers!

 

[tima]

I would think that this would be one of those things to which one could easily plead ignorance;P ...I mean, who would expect such a by-law to exist...it's complete and utter foolishness! I have lived in 5 cities in the past 6 years (Halifax, NS; Seoul, ROK; Thunder Bay, ON; Ottawa, ON; and Lancaster, SC)...I don't know if ANY of these cities have had any such laws!

 

[YouLosePayUp]

Well I visited one city in the past 6 months and have found that almost every surrounding city has a stupid by-law against "venomous spiders". Guelph, Cambridge, Kitchner/Waterloo(rumoured only) The one that definitely has a hard and fast law against "tarantulas" is Guelph. For a city official to make charges stick with the words "venomous spider" would be tricky. Most of us are well versed at what is a spider and what is a tarantula and could definitely dazzle a courtroom with our knowledge as they are thinking the Grammastola who and the Haplopelma whachamacallit you are slowly winning by that same ignorance that brought the law in in the first place. And if all else fails bring an Avic. sling with you for crowd appeal.

 

[Bedlam]

Does anyone have code for a banner or something? I see LOTS of Pitbull owners passing info around all the time, especially online. Nothing from the Arachnid lovers. If ignorance is bliss, lets send them all to hell!! Where everything has 8 legs!!!!!

 

[tima]

I guess my biggest problems with these laws is this: I could understand it in, for example, FL or CA, where exotic species are wreaking havoc because they survive in the climate, but seriously, what is the deal in cooler climates. Ts would not survive a winter...well...I was going to say north of the Mason-Dixon...but probably not north of Florida, in the East, at least. And if a person wants to have a spider in his or her personal residence, that should be up to them. Ignorance rules the political world.

 

[Thoth]

I know in NYC the ban on exotics were caused by a series of irresponsible pet owners who ended up getting killed by their exotic pet, usually a python left to roam the apt.. Then when the authorities went into their apts. they found animals like tiger cubs, caimans, various large pythons (retics and burmese). As a result the city had a wide scale ban on all exotics.

 

[Bedlam]

I know in NYC the ban on exotics were caused by a series of irresponsible pet owners who ended up getting killed by their exotic pet, usually a python left to roam the apt.. Then when the authorities went into their apts. they found animals like tiger cubs, caimans, various large pythons (retics and burmese). As a result the city had a wide scale ban on all exotics.

Yet Pythons remain legal in most of the places where spiders are not. Someone correct me on that if I'm wrong though. And like I've said before, a person has to be responsible. My spider doesn't roam around my room. She's in a tank with two openings - both of which snap and lock shut.

ps - love the Catcher quote!! :clap: