New Lacey Act Amendments

[WrongPython]

For those who may not have heard, a new amendment to the Lacey Act was attached to the bill for America COMPETES Act that recently passed the US House of Representatives. The folks at USARK and the National Animal Interest Alliance have already summarized things pretty well, so head down those links if you'd like to get fully caught up on everything.

In a nutshell: the proposed amendment, as it stands, would bar the interstate transport of any species not on the new Lacey "whitelist." This means that you could not transport a non-whitelisted species across state lines for any reason, ie. personal moves, visiting a veterinarian out of state, or selling animals. Almost any species beyond cats, dogs, and common farm animals could be caught up in said transport embargo. So, needless to say, the final passage of this amendment wouldn't be good for the reptile hobby within the US.

It appears as though the ball is currently in the US Senate's court with this. Those so inclined should follow the suggestions within the USARK and NAIA pages to contact their senators with their concerns. Remember to be polite, and spread the word amongst your other pet-keeping friends!