Hand over your exotics on Saturday

If you have them, now is the time to turn them in. :mad:

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?Q=440856&A=3605

Is this for ALL exotics? Or what?

THIS is a GREAT example of why people need to be involved in politics and be a member of USARK.

It's for illegally owned or unwanted exotics. And only in Connecticut.

I'm wondering if this is a precurser for things to come.
Are they trying to rid the state of as many as possible now and then totally ban everything with the pending legislation?

I knew that. But what are they considering Illegal animals?

Only Conneticut? Next its only YOUR state, then MY state, then who knows where else....

Don't underestimate the Government.

(not trying to be mean)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by abuja

It's for illegally owned or unwanted exotics. And only in Connecticut.

---

I personally think it's a good thing. For the people who came across some baby thing that looked cute, and now they don't know what to do with it. There are also a lot of people who don't relize the expenses with exotic animals. There could be some animals out there in need of vet attention and not getting. As long as the zoos are going to take good care of the animals, I really don't see the problem. Would you rather more people be releasing them into the wild?

Beardsley is a joke as far as zoos go.
Tiny place that is not well maintained.
Every animal that was privately owned that was "supposed" to be kept at this zoo was euthanized.

4 alligators
1 caimen
3 Colombian boas
6 burmese pythons

and those are the only ones I personally know about.

If they do actually euthanize the animals, make me wonder what would happen if someone set up a protest with signs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Raptor

If they do actually euthanize the animals, make me wonder what would happen if someone set up a protest with signs.

---

You would most likely get arrested and the media would portray your protest in a less than favorable way.

Oh. Sorry, I didn't know. That's terrible. I've see quite a few zoos, that looked like they were plopped in some one's back yard just to make money. I can't believe their aren't more regulations for that sort of thing. Maybe that's something the government needs to squawk about. Oh, yeah, i forgot they pay more taxes then one hobbyist.

We have pet amnesty days here in florida, and have had them for years. They aren't MAKING you hand in animals. It's so you can turn in UNWANTED animals.. and if they ARE illegil, you can't be prosecuted if you're handing them in. So if you were unaware that it was illegil to keep a lion.. and you go hand it in on that day to them, they won't charge you with owning a lion.

If you have a legal exotic, and you can't keep it(or don't want it) anymore, and you haven't found someone to take it, you can take it in to them.

Yes, most will end up euthanized if the zoo(or other organizations) don't take them as exhibits. But it's very preferable to people having animals starve, or be put outside, because they don't feel like caring for them any longer.

I'm sorry but I don't see what's wrong with this. It's for animals that are already illegal and for unwanted pets. It fate of the animals sucks but it could be worse than the consequences of someone being an irresponsible keeper.

I think its a great idea. Its a good way for people who can't keep animals any longer to safely get rid of the animal (without turning them loose or letting the thing starve/etc.) without fear of getting in trouble.

Its not liek they are MAKING you get rid of animals, or knocking on doors seeing if you have illegal animals...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 2kdime

Is this for ALL exotics? Or what?

---

Quoted from article...

Quote:

---

Connecticut state law (Section 26-40a of the General Statutes) prohibits possession of potentially dangerous animals. This ban includes animals belonging to the:

* Felidae species, such as lions, leopards, jaguar
* Canidae species, such as wolf and coyote
* Ursidae species, such as black, brown and grizzly bears

---

Geesh...read the article people. It is NOT mandatory and the illegal animals are things like pet lions, wolves and bears. They will also accept reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and fish.
It's a way for people who have illegal animals to get rid of them safely without prosecution from the law. It is also a way for people with pets (excluding domestics like dogs and cats) they can no longer care for, to hand over instead of dumping them in the woods or a lake.
Many other states do already do this and not just for animals.

Read the rest of the article.
They are working on adding to the list of animals you won't be able to keep.
This is the first step. Get everyone they can to turn in animals and then rewrite the law to ban more types of animals.

From the link.

Quote:

---

Legislation is pending before the General Assembly to expand the list of potentially dangerous animals that are banned in Connecticut.

---

If the idea here, is to give people a safe outlet for ridding themselves of already-illegal animals.. that's fine in my book. It is a shame though, that the animals have to be destroyed. I would think that a qualified rescue group should be able to step in before that would have to happen. Just like those gun-buyback programs where they destroy the guns; many of which can't even be fired, and are rare collector's items..
But yeah. I do see it as preferable, to the animals being released into the wild as invasive or tame/non-feral/doomed critters. Or starved/neglected once their "owners" tire of them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SPJ

Read the rest of the article.
They are working on adding to the list of animals you won't be able to keep.
This is the first step. Get everyone they can to turn in animals and then rewrite the law to ban more types of animals.

---

Then we'll need to fight them from adding animals that don't belong on the list, but for the time being they aren't doing anything unreasonable.

You're talking about two seperate things.
Amnesty days are good, in that they give people who need it, an "out" to get rid of animals they are unable to place otherwise.
Legislation banning animals is bad, and we'll fight it as it comes up, or when it's proposed.

One has nothing to do with the other. No one is MAKING anyone take their animals in on a Amnesty day.

Interesting! I wonder how many lions, tigers and bears get brought in.