The Minister of Agriculture in Norway wants to kill our reptiles!

[Genetics]

We need your support !

Shouldn't we be able to choose which animals we would like to keep at home, as long as they can be well cared for, and are safe to keep for the owner and the environment?

Herptiles, such as lizards, frogs, turtles and snakes, have been banned in Norway since 1977. The reasons for the ban of such animals were founded in the lack of knowledge about the species in question, and their ecological impact on the Norwegian fauna. Since then, research has been done on the subject, and factual information has been gathered from Norways neighboring countries. In 2008, a "positive list" was drafted by the Norwegian Herpetology Foundation together with Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

The purpose of the "positive list" was to allow certain species of animals that were safe and relatively easy to keep. By changing the legislation related to the ban of these animals, the 150.000-200.000 animals already residing in Norway would be governed under the same legislation as other pets and captive animals. First and foremost, this would secure the animals right to proper welfare, like the many other animals residing in homes in Norway. The legislative change was due for a hearing in the Norwegian parliament during spring, 2013.

Norways Minister of Agriculture, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, appeared in the news on the 3rd of April, stating that he would not allow the proposed new legislation to be allowed to hearing as planned. He continued to state that keepers of herptiles should bring the animals to a veterinarian to be put down. The minister went against the recommendations of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety, the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management and the Norwegian Veterinarian Union, putting a stop to the legislative process.

The herpetology society and experts from various departments working with the new law proposal feel strongly about equal rights for all pets and captive kept animals in Norway. The fact that the Minister of Agriculture neglects the facts presented from studies, reports and Q&A sessions in this case, and also that he proposes to kill the 150.000-200.000 animals already being kept in Norway is something that we as an animal loving society, who appreciates the importance of equal welfare for animals, cannot accept.

We feel that all pets, dogs, cats, birds, hamsters and reptiles, should be governed by the same rules and legislation. Our purpose with this petition is to show our contempt for the ministers desire to kill healthy animals, and our desire to let the proposed change in legislation be given a fair chance at a hearing in parliament. A decision for or against should be based on well-founded facts, and be taken by the elected democratic majority and not by a minister that listens to his own prejudice.

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[Ginevive]

That is nuts Cats and dogs that escape will do much more havoc onto a native animal population than pythons and other reptiles. Especially in Norway, where tropical species will probably perish in the snow if they get out.

[Genetics]

Yep. We have -20 degrees in the winter, and in the summer it's usually about 20 degrees when good weather so they will not survive here.. On the other hand, they say these animals aren't natural here, and is a reason why they don't want to soften up the law... How does that even make sense? They're afraid the animals will establish in the wild, but they don't want to legitimate the animals because they don't belong here? Cant see the problem, neither of our legal pets belong here, but they're pets after all. If the reptiles get out, they'll die after a little while, our other pets would survive much longer.

[Raven01]

Wow, doesn`t anyone have property rights anymore?
Animals should not (actually they really cannot effectively) "have rights".
However, humans have a responsibility to animals in our care. It could be said that we also have some responsibility to wildlife, as unthinking action on our part could have significant impact on them as well.
Bothrops ammodytoides (Patagonian Pitviper) or Thamnophis sirtalis(Northern Red Sided Garter Snake) might be a bad idea if Norwegians are in the habit of releasing captive animals but, not much else comes to mind that could survive and is not indigenous to the area. I could be wrong and will no doubt be corrected if this is the case.
That leaves disease introduction as the only other valid concern. And, that would be easily addressed by quarantine and health checks by vets on all new imports.

All I can suggest is pet reptile enthusiasts team up with pet related businesses and lobby for reasonable changes.
Good luck.

[Genetics]

Bothrops ammodytoides (Patagonian Pitviper) or Thamnophis sirtalis(Northern Red Sided Garter Snake) might be a bad idea if Norwegians are in the habit of releasing captive animals but, not much else comes to mind that could survive and is not indigenous to the area.

Well... There's only a few reptiles which is possible, it's been made a "positivelist" and it started with 30 species, which become reduced to only 18.

Here's the list of all the 30;

Snakes:
Pantherophis guttatus (Elaphe guttata)
Lampropeltis getula
Morelia viridis
Lampropeltis triangulum
Python regius
Morelia spilota
Boa constrictor
Corallus hortulanus
Epicrates cenchria

Lizards:
Eublepharis macularius
Phelsuma madagascariensis
Correlophus ciliatus
Lacerta lepida
Tiliqua scincoides
Uromastyx ocellata
Pogona vitticeps
Varanus acanthurus
Chamaeleo calyptratus
Furcifer (Chamaeleo) pardalis

Turtles/tortoises:
Testudo hermanni
Geochelone pardalis
Chinemys reevesi

Amphibians:
Ceratophrys ornata
Xenopus laevis
Bombina orientalis
Litoria caeruleas
Trachycephalus resinifictrix
Epipedobates tricolor
Cynops pyrrhogaster
Salamandra salamandrar

Some of them is off the list, since they didn't "qualified".
So there's only been these few animals that have been relevant to legalize.

And no, we aren't exactly known by releasing our animals, exept cats.. Every winter we have -20 degrees and more, and that's pretty cold for our captive animals to be caring for themselves in so cold environment for such a long time.