Indiana: Pythons not welcome

To be honest with you guys I think every one is getting worked up over some thing that will NEVER happen. They tried to pass a law like this one but banning Pit Bulls (due to :cens0r: hole people who fight them). Being a pit owner I can tell you that those people (much like the idiots who try to handel a 25' snake by them self while drunk) only make up a small %. Don't get me wrong there are "people" out there who should never be in charge of another living thing but you can't group every one in with that bunch. Especialy since there are sooooooooo many loving responsable large snake owners just in this form (I'm just waiting for them to chime in). Any way I'll get off my :soapbx: and say that the Pit Bull ban never passed and I don't see this one passing.

Thunder Kat, while I want to agree with you I must ask if you have done some looking around in Indiana lately. I left in September, and the majority of towns have bully breed banning. This also includes non bully breeds like Dobes, Rotts, Boxers, German Shepherds, Mastiffs.

So while it might not have taken hold on a state level it did in smaller ways.

I think with any sort of bill like this so many people get the idea that 'it'll never happen' and so don't bother letting the people in charge know they're against it and when it does happen they're shocked.
Nope, not taking any chances with this. I might currently be residing in WA but IN is my home and I'm going to voice my opinions to the people in charge.
No matter what happens I can at least say I tried.

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Originally Posted by Thunder Kat

To be honest with you guys I think every one is getting worked up over some thing that will NEVER happen. They tried to pass a law like this one but banning Pit Bulls (due to :cens0r: hole people who fight them). Being a pit owner I can tell you that those people (much like the idiots who try to handel a 25' snake by them self while drunk) only make up a small %. Don't get me wrong there are "people" out there who should never be in charge of another living thing but you can't group every one in with that bunch. Especialy since there are sooooooooo many loving responsable large snake owners just in this form (I'm just waiting for them to chime in). Any way I'll get off my :soapbx: and say that the Pit Bull ban never passed and I don't see this one passing.

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If this bill only dealt with snakes I might agree with you...but unfortunately in this bill pythons are grouped along with bears, crocodiles, hippos, elephants, etc. They are just going to ban any large persumed dangerous animal that might show up in the state. They aren't thinking just throwing everything together assuming no one will pay atttention. It is very much a political move.

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

If this bill only dealt with snakes I might agree with you...but unfortunately in this bill pythons are grouped along with bears, crocodiles, hippos, elephants, etc. They are just going to ban any large persumed dangerous animal that might show up in the state. They aren't thinking just throwing everything together assuming no one will pay atttention. It is very much a political move.

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Just so I am on the record I have already contacted my senator, congresswoman, the bills sponsor and the governor and Lt. governor. I hope all the other hoosiers out there will too.

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Originally Posted by Thunder Kat

To be honest with you guys I think every one is getting worked up over some thing that will NEVER happen. They tried to pass a law like this one but banning Pit Bulls (due to :cens0r: hole people who fight them). Being a pit owner I can tell you that those people (much like the idiots who try to handel a 25' snake by them self while drunk) only make up a small %. Don't get me wrong there are "people" out there who should never be in charge of another living thing but you can't group every one in with that bunch. Especialy since there are sooooooooo many loving responsable large snake owners just in this form (I'm just waiting for them to chime in). Any way I'll get off my :soapbx: and say that the Pit Bull ban never passed and I don't see this one passing.

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Pit bulls are illegal in several cities, Denver being one. So don't say that can't happen. A lot of folks never dreamed smoking would be banned in bars. That's happened in New York, California, Arizona, Ohio, Washington and several other states. At one point, no one dreamed of a mandatory seat belt law. Now, it's illegal to be in a car without a seat belt in all 50 states. And there are no shortage of silly laws. Anyone remember dwarf tossing? Well, it's against the law to toss a dwarf in several cities and at least one state--evidence that knee-jerk reactions to non-issues can quickly turn into laws given the way our system works.

Ignore the Legislature at your peril. While it's true that whoever is sponsoring these bills might be backbench grandstanders, one never knows. Strange things can happen in the world of politics.

I'll say it again: People who love snakes and other reptiles should see these bills as an opportunity, not a threat. If the end result is raising the bar so that irresponsible owners can no longer keep snakes and other reptiles--and that's precisely what the end result could be if the responsible reptile community works with lawmakers--then that's a good thing. Not necessarily for us, but for the animals. And isn't that what's most important?

Finally, to whoever said he should have the right to own a copperhead or any other breed of snake without restriction, sorry, but you're wrong. Reasoning like that is why there are so many fools on craigslist offering up alligators and any other stripe of reptile that has no business on the open market. It's also why Petsmart has that doomed Jackson chameleon that's looking sicker every time I see it. That's why every reptile rescue in the land is stacked to the rafters with iguanas. You can't equate a reptile with a dog or cat. It just doesn't work. From visiting this Web site, I'm convinced that there are responsible, dedicated owners of large snakes who are doing the right thing. I don't think these folks have much to worry about--surely the government can pass reasonable restrictions that these folks can live with, and surely they will submit to some government regulation if that regulation benefits the species. It's the others, the ones who see ownership of reptiles, no matter the breed, as an inalienable right that should worry.

I live in IN, and I'm as worried as everyone. And, I will be writing my representatives.

On the birght side, it could be argued that BP's do not have the potential to exceed 6 feet. My understanding is that BP's RARELY even reach 6 feet, let alone exceed it.

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Originally Posted by nebby3103

I live in IN, and I'm as worried as everyone. And, I will be writing my representatives.

On the birght side, it could be argued that BP's do not have the potential to exceed 6 feet. My understanding is that BP's RARELY even reach 6 feet, let alone exceed it.

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This is true,to the unknowing snake haters a snake is a snake.If the wrong person words the law just right it could mean NO pythons allowed period!

well that sucks.i'd hate it if frickin' arnold here in cali were to ban pythons like that.the only "big" snakes that i've seen sell here locally are baby rtb's once in a while.i havent seen anything regarding the banning of snakes here in cali,but i'll keep an eye out.

It doesn't matter that most ball pythons don't exceed five feet let alone six but because they have the 'potential' to they would be banned.
I emailed, wrote and my phone calls begin Monday.