Sign the petition

For anyone in Canada who hasen't heard the B.C SPCA is proposing a ban on ALL exotic animals in the province of B.C. We need the help of all fellow herpers out there to stop this. If these changes go through don't be suprised when other provinces that a look at their regulations as well. Here is a link to add your name to a petition to oppose these ridiculous regulations. I encourage everyone to send this link out to all pet owners to help protect all of our rights.

http://aqua-terra-vita.com/ATVIIR/CATAL/catal.php

Thanks for your support!

Well, that is one way to put me in a bad mood for the day.

From the Vancouver Humane Society's website:

Thousands of captive exotic animals are kept by zoos, animal entertainment agencies and private individuals. But these animals don't belong in cages or glass tanks. Whether wild-caught or captive-bred, they retain the biological and behavioural needs of wild animals. They have evolved to thrive in very specific environments that are virtually impossible to replicate in captivity.* As a result they are often kept in environments in which they lack space, stimulation, exercise, proper nutrition, warmth or same-species companionship. In short, they suffer.

So, these people are not just about limiting the ownership of 'exotic pets' to private individuals - they don't want them in B.C. period.

The ban-list would include, in part:

Snakes: green anaconda, yellow anaconda, reticulated python, African rock python, Burmese python, Indian python, amethyst python

But it does not stop there... they also want to ban-for-sale:
- Green iguanas
- Pythons and anacondas*
- Turtles and turtle eggs
- Venomous spiders and insects
- Venomous reptiles

This is a brief accounting of the full ban and ban-for-sale list. To review the full list, please visit the link above.

A few of the "reasons" they list for wanting this legislation passed:

The burnt snake:
Many exotic animals need artificial heating if they are to survive in non-tropical climates. Unfortunately, the incorrect use of heating equipment can lead to serious burns.

The limping lizard:
Crippling bone diseases often result in reptiles fed the wrong diet or given incorrect lighting.

Clearly dogs and cats are never mistreated by ignorant pet owners...

To review the full BC SPCA submission for their so-called "Wildlife Act" please click here.

I am really at a loss for words. These people are supposed to be knowledgeable about animals, and then they do something like... this? Their website reads more like an extremist animal rights organization than a government supported rescue center. Scary.

If you would like to contact the Vancouver SPCA, here is the information. But please, lets keep it civil. I know this is an emotional topic and a direct attack on our community, but sugar wins over vinegar... right? :(

tel: 1.604.266.9744
fax: 1.604.266.1311

info@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca

Vancouver Humane Society
#303 - 8623 Granville Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V6P 5A2
Canada

* Emphasis mine.

In response to this article I just submitted the following to the editor of the Edmond Journal:

I am a longtime reader of your publication. I have always enjoyed the integrity and balance with which your news reports are presented. It is for this reason that a recently published article, “Decision to buy an exotic pet can come back to bite you”, troubled me so.

This article was devoid of facts about the care of exotic pets by responsible owners. Regrettably, this article also made no mention of the completely harmless and Canadian captive-bred exotics that have been widely owned and loved across our great nation for generations. What this article described in the way of ‘poaching’ exotic animals in the wild for sale pets is an illegal practice that is abhorred by the herpetological community.

It was disappointing to find that the bulk of this article, otherwise addressing a very serious proposed legislation that will impact thousands of responsible B.C. pet owners, was largely a recounting of fear-based misinformation. Not a single contrasting point of view was mentioned from people within the herpetological community itself.

Would you publish an article about banning dog ownership without speaking to a dog owner?

Instead of limiting the ownership and sale of harmless exotic species, I believe there should be a greater push to inform the public about the proper care requirements for these animals.

I just hope that this legislation, as it currently stands, is seen for the knee-jerk overreaction that it is before a great many responsible and loving B.C. pet owners are made to pay the price for other people’s ignorance.

*** *****
Toronto, On.

I could have said a lot more, but having been published in several newspapers for columns as well as letters to the editor, I know that brevity is key. Hopefully I hit on the most glaring points.

Excellent letter, please let us know if they publish it!

Thats an awesome letter!

i would love to sign as i want to eventually own a large snake but i live in the usa and to be honest i am afraid this could spread here

The part of the SPCA's article that just annoys me is:

Quote:

---

By prohibiting the sale and keeping of a number of exotics, the new bylaw will send an important message to the public that owning these kinds of animals is not socially acceptable.

---

And they keep focussing on the 'neglected care' of those in the hobby, quoting a few incidents of irresponsible owners... I would like to see what the actually statistics are, side by side, of abused and negelcted dogs and cats in the province alongside these 'neglected exotics'... In most cases the exotics they are trying to ban are so expensive that it helps to ward off buyers not truly interested in the trade.

I've had my run in with the SPCA here causing the death of 7 kittens due to their neglect and failure to keep accurate reports (we had a nursing stray at our work place which we were feeding and taking care of, they cut a metal chain and removed the mother as a stray leaving the nursing kittens to die even though we'd reported to them and asked that they not remove the mover), and they brushed this off stating that they have so many reports and files and are obligated to remove strays - no mention of sorry we caused the death of 7 kittens... It seems like such a value judgement ridden argument they are making that it's sad they have any chance of winning.