EVERYONE: NO to Additions to the Lacey Act

Land of the free right?
The word freedom gets tossed around a lot by those who never spent a day in the sandbox

We're running out of time so I am posting to give this thread a bump and get a few frustrations out:

Lacey DOES NOT make it illegal to own, breed, or even sell...just as long as it's done in your own state. You just wouldn't be able to sell or move them across state lines. My 2013 Burmese hatchling is a prime example. Burmese Pythons are already on the list, but I was able to buy and bring home a 2013 Burmese Python hatchling that I purchased from a breeder IN my state.

If added to Lacey, it simply means that the USFWS see these as an active invasive species currently AND capable of adversly affecting the ecosystems across the nation...though we all know this is ONLY possible in extreme Southern Florida. Their own cold weather tests, where they relocated a couple of Burmese Pythons to South Carolina, resulted in them dying in the first cold snap. It's absolutely rediculous!

These are OUR dogs and cats. These are members of our family and for some a business. If WE don't contact our reps and contact USFWS directly and voice our opposition, no one will. This IS OUR responsibility.

Even if you don't own Burms, Retics, Anacondas, African Rock Pythons, or Boas...if the USFWS is allowed to just add species willy-nilly with total disregard to facts and real science...other snakes and herps are sure to come. This is an entire community issue that everyone needs to step up and voice their opposition.

Sent. And I've categorized my congressman's drop-down menu as trade- presumably the same as business / commerce, since that is not an option.

Just going to say:

Writing out letters and personally sending them will send much more of an impact than a bunch of emails.

Take the time to write out a few letters and send them!

I couldn't copy paste this off of someone's fb

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The more offline stuff that occurs, such as hand-written letters or letters in the mail, peaceful public protest, and hand written petitions (best get these signed at your next reptile show) the better. That's a legitimate way of being heard. The less you have to sit at your computer, the better!

Sent two emails. Congresswoman from my home of record, and congressman for where I live (I feel like I can do both because of the navy :P)

Here's the reply I got. No mention of people and businesses effected. Can't say I am shocked:

"Thank you for contacting me in support of the Lacey Act. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.

As you know, the Lacey Act has protected wildlife and fish from being illegally taken, transported, or sold since signed into law in 1900. Under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the bipartisan Act was amended to expand its protection to a wide range of plants, including illegally logged woods. This law is a critical tool in halting deforestation and protecting American jobs.

I will continue to support the preservation of natural resources and aim to strengthen regulations that prevent damage to injurious wildlife while maintaining critical investments in programs that protect our public health and create jobs. I strongly believe that we can responsibly confront reducing the deficit and have a balanced budget while maintaining critical investments in programs that protect our environment.

Please rest assured that I will oppose any continued efforts to gut environmental protection programs or limit environmental authority. I appreciate your voice on this matter and will keep your thoughts in mind as the 113th Congress progresses.

Thank you again for writing. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of any further assistance. If you would like to learn more about my position on other issues important to the 37th district, please visit my website at bass.house.gov or sign up for my e-newsletter.

Sincerely,

U.S. Rep. Karen Bass"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CeeJay

Here's the reply I got. No mention of people and businesses effected. Can't say I am shocked:

"Thank you for contacting me in support of the Lacey Act. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.

As you know, the Lacey Act has protected wildlife and fish from being illegally taken, transported, or sold since signed into law in 1900. Under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the bipartisan Act was amended to expand its protection to a wide range of plants, including illegally logged woods. This law is a critical tool in halting deforestation and protecting American jobs.

I will continue to support the preservation of natural resources and aim to strengthen regulations that prevent damage to injurious wildlife while maintaining critical investments in programs that protect our public health and create jobs. I strongly believe that we can responsibly confront reducing the deficit and have a balanced budget while maintaining critical investments in programs that protect our environment.

Please rest assured that I will oppose any continued efforts to gut environmental protection programs or limit environmental authority. I appreciate your voice on this matter and will keep your thoughts in mind as the 113th Congress progresses.

Thank you again for writing. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of any further assistance. If you would like to learn more about my position on other issues important to the 37th district, please visit my website at bass.house.gov or sign up for my e-newsletter.

Sincerely,

U.S. Rep. Karen Bass"

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It almost sounds like an automatic message- it says nothing about the pets and livestock people have. It wouldn't surprise me if that is something that some secretary copied and pasted.

I have a boa and have been looking to move to another state. Does anyone know when this law could potentially go into effect?

I have already sent the electronic petition to my congressman. I'm sure they will not care about it either way. Personally, I think what needs to be done is everyone needs to take their giant pet snakes and have a show and tell outside their representative's office buildings. People need to see how calm and tame these animals are. I think stupidity and fear is what is driving these horrible laws to be made. Little by little, america will take our freedoms away from us if you let them. When I was younger, and I'm a young man at that, no one needed a license to go boating. I was conducting a high powered motor boat when I was 10 years old. But since a bunch of idiots got drunk and crashed their boats into each other and died my home state made it mandatory that everyone had to get a boating license. Now I can't even go kayaking without a boating license! M80 fireworks were once legal until some idiots blew their hands up. Now no one can own those either. We can't keep trying to put nerf foam over everything that we do. Some hobbies have dangers associated with them and this is something we need to accept. No one can go through life without risk, and for some of us risk is what makes us feel alive. Soon enough, we won't even be able to go hiking because it's too scary and dangerous outdoors! We could get diseases from mosquito bites and die (2 million per year die from this, but snakes are scary right?)! That was sarcasm in those last couple of sentences obviously, but you get the point. The price of freedom of hobbies involves injuries or even loss of life, but although it is a heavy price to pay I pay it gladly. If you take away nothing else from this post, then please take away this thought: If we do not stop these additions to the Lacey act from being implemented now it will be near impossible to repeal them later. Furthermore, this is obviously a slippery slope because they are pushing to add more species of snake to their original plan, and will probably continue to add more in the future IF YOU LET THEM.