hr669 send a tip to your local news

I just got done. emailing all of my local news stations. I figure that every little bit helps and that would get the word out to people that don't have internet. just an idea.

that is a good idea! I will do the same.

Its amazing to me so see how many people aren't aware or aren't acting on this. I posted a bulletin on my myspace and only 3 people (one of which is my fiance) re-posted it and sent a letter. Do most non-animal people think this is a joke or just don't care? It makes me sick to think what life will be like if this passes...

edit* it might also be a good idea to put some kind of bulletin up at local pet stores. I've been in my lil mom & pop stores and around here, theres nothing about HR669 in them!

I just did that, and the news stations around here LOVE to do stories on animals, I work at a local animal shelter and they come out every week to do a story on a dog or cat that we have there...they are awsome, so they will be getting back to me!!!!!!!

Just sent a letter to my local Fox News station. They live for stories like this. All the exposure we can get can only help our cause.

I just called the tip line, and the guy who answered did NOT understand why I should be upset.
I told him, "Well, if you have a pet hamster or gecko, and in a year or so, it dies of old age, you can't get another one."
He said "Well, it's not like they're going extinct."
Me: "Yes! Because according to the bill, no one can buy, sell, or BREED, or trade them!"
He still didn't seem convinced, but said they would look into it, and asked for the bill number again.
Sigh. Off to look up smarter tv stations.

I just contacted my local news station by email. We will see if I hear anything back. If not, my next step is to call them on the phone.

GREAT IDEA. I'll do the same later after I get back from easter stuff.

Wikipedia offers lists of news stations by state. Click each station to go to the website for that station, and look for "news tips" or "contact us".
I just spent 2-3 hours on the florida news stations, and I know I didn't get to half of them.

I actually emailed CNN a couple days ago about it. Unfortunately CNN is a bit aiming too high probably and it will just be over looked but I figured I'd try and hey if you see them discussing this on CNN one of these days I guess it was because of me haha

I e-mailed and contacted almost all my local news stations. Three times. Nothin. :/

I did the same sent an email to the 5 local stations here. I have not herd back from them yet.

I just sent a message to KTLA.. It's a very very large news station in so cal.

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Originally Posted by grim reaper in NY

Just sent a letter to my local Fox News station. They live for stories like this. All the exposure we can get can only help our cause.

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I worry that the majority of people who care about this issue hate snakes in particular enough to want this bill passed.

I posted about HR669 on some of my other hobby boards (guns, car clubs) and the only responses I got from people were them saying they think this should be passed and that they think people shouldn't be aloud to own dangerous animals (example: chimps, large snakes). Most pointed out the everglades as to reason why people shouldn't own snakes. We have a hard road a head of us.

Most people outside this hobby just don't get it or really care. And the average gerbil or reptile owner doesn't see the point in caring about this.

I just hope every person inside this community does there part to stop this bill.

Just to repost: Ralph Davis has tried to make it as easy as possible to send in letters.

Here's his link.

http://www.ralphdavisreptiles.com/fo...96&whichpage=1

Please people send in letters. I have over 100 I'm sending. We need to be heard.

I emailed both of my news stations and one of them emailed me back and I will be doing an interview april 20th, i know its alittle late but atlest they emailed me back. They want my snake to be in it also!!!!!

:salute::banana:SAY NO TO HR669:banana::salute:

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Wikipedia offers lists of news stations by state. Click each station to go to the website for that station, and look for "news tips" or "contact us".
I just spent 2-3 hours on the florida news stations, and I know I didn't get to half of them.

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can you post that link?

I view sending this to a news station as a mistake. Most people will gladly support banning reptiles. The news stations will not show it for what it is, a bad thing.

I think that fish hobbyist are an untapped resource. My dad isn't into reptiles but is really into tropical fish. When I told him about the resolution, he got pretty upset about it.

Although pretty much everyone here is a reptile hobbyist, I think the key to fighting the bill is to focus on animals that a larger majority like. For example gerbils, tropical fish, and birds. If you can get the news to focus on that instead of snakes and lizards, it would be better.

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Originally Posted by mikedahitman87

I think that fish hobbyist are an untapped resource. My dad isn't into reptiles but is really into tropical fish. When I told him about the resolution, he got pretty upset about it.

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The only problem with that is it seems the few fish keepers that do know about it, don't care because they think it won't effect them.
The only fish keepers that seem to care are the people over on monsterfishkeepers.com and a handful of others.

Most people are aiming this at snakes, if you point out small lizards, exotic mammals and fish it will hit a bigger audience. Many people hate snakes but love gecko's, bearded dragons, ferrets and fish.

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Originally Posted by yotaman

I posted about HR669 on some of my other hobby boards (guns, car clubs) and the only responses I got from people were them saying they think this should be passed and that they think people shouldn't be aloud to own dangerous animals (example: chimps, large snakes). Most pointed out the everglades as to reason why people shouldn't own snakes. We have a hard road a head of us.

Most people outside this hobby just don't get it or really care. And the average gerbil or reptile owner doesn't see the point in caring about this.

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I too have run into this. That's why this bill freaks me out.

well here is my take they thank the everglades are bad now wait till this bill passes Florida will be over run and then there is the thousand or millions of jobs lost so just because they dont care now they will when this passes i just email three reporters at a local news station and emailed the paper a news tip ill do whatever it takes

I just emailed my local news and they said they would definitely get an article up on their website about it, and would try to put it in the paper.

I have contacted Ralph Davis about this and he suggest giving them his info for a person to contact. If this is not handled right the media will twist it into something we do not want going into the media. That is the main reason I asked him about it, because I did not want to be responsable for them twisting it. So please give his info and let those organizing things handle any media. Here is the info to give them and sorry if it breaks any rules, but I think they can handle it better than any of us and have all the info in front of them if not in their head.

Ralph Davis
office: (410)876-8093
cell: (410)984-5194
e-mail: ralph@ralphdavisreptiles.com

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Originally Posted by panthercz

The only problem with that is it seems the few fish keepers that do know about it, don't care because they think it won't effect them.
The only fish keepers that seem to care are the people over on monsterfishkeepers.com and a handful of others.

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Well my dad emailed me last night after reading over the bill and talking with his fellow fish hobbyists. As a lawyer, his opinion is that the big battle will come if it is passed as to which animals are allowed and what aren't. Most fish hobbyist feel that they are safe, but he has advised them that government officials can not all be trusted to do the right thing and that they shouldn't even give officials the chance to ban some of their fish.

Many of the people on his Discus forum have responded positively and have started writing letters.:) Hope that this helps.

We have been trying to hit as many news stations as we can, we have a few great leads, but the more they get swamped with people reaching out to them about this the better chance that they will pick the story up. So please keep plugging away. I think the best thing to do is send them the link to the www.nohr669.com they will get to see the vid to get perspective of what we are dealing with as well as see the public our cry. They want a news story that will get them ratings, that's what they are all about. We have to make them see that this is a story that will generate interest. Thanks, Brian(BHB)

Chicago's CLTV seemed somewhat interested. If more people send e-mails they will get the hint that this might be a good story to cover.

CLTV News Tips (630)574-2588
E-mail (which is what they told me to do): cltvdesk@tribune.com

Contact them even if your not in the area...the more the better.

Thanks for the tip I just emailer that station

I just emailed the stations here in Colorado!!

I've been emailing a local radio show aired across the nation,and a produce/cohost wrote me back,and he is going to view what i sent him,discuss it with the host and get back to me on it,and he wishes us all the best of luck fighting this

Brian(bhb)i have been emailing your video,as well as the nohr669.com link as my references,i hope you dont mind,,now onto the tv stations!!!!!!!!!!

I'm surprised no one really brings up the issue of locality risks.

I cannot think of a single reptile that has a risk of establishing itself in Minnesota.

Asian carp, snakeheads, yeah those should be and are already illegal here.

But if people ban burms "because they might invade us" with this bill, it's a nationwide ban, not just in the places where they pose a risk(ONLY florida).

Similarly (THIS IS TO YOU, FISH PEOPLE) pirhanas will be banned if this bill goes through. They have shown the ability to survive in warmer southern waters, but I don't think they have established themselves yet. They are illegal to own in a number of southern states already I believe.. I'm pretty sure Louisiana and Texas are among them. However, should people in the Northern states worry about "dangerous man-eating pirhanas" living through cold winters?

No.

This bill has no provisions in it for locality considerations. This is why this kind of regulation belongs at the state or county level.

It's all global bans, not just region specific. Sure some snakes have the ability to establish in certain areas that are close in environment, but like you stated, Burms can't survive in the north like Michigan, Minnesota, those places get too cold. So I agree with you on that subject.

the governments study shows the burm can live in norther ga,southern sc and across as far as texas,and in 5-10 years,can almsot live anywhere,,ofcourse,they did the study on the much smaller indian python,and not on the proper species,which cant even live in northern florida

If your talking about the USGS survey there was zero scientific merit in that report anywhere.

There is no truly scientific study that I know of that shows the burmese python can live outside of its already established territory in Florida.

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Originally Posted by RebelYell83

the governments study shows the burm can live in norther ga,southern sc and across as far as texas,and in 5-10 years,can almsot live anywhere,,ofcourse,they did the study on the much smaller indian python,and not on the proper species,which cant even live in northern florida

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I can't vouch for Texas but I know for a fact that in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina a burmese python would freeze to death in late fall and in winter. Snakes in both regions do this nifty thing called brumation which allows them to survive late fall and winter.

I don't know where you get your information but it's pure hearsay and 0 fact.

Note: he did say they did the study with a diff python, and that the burmese couldn't even survive in north florida.
That "study" is full of BS, written specificaly for fear and panic.