ALERT: Colorado Read the full alert at www.usark.org/24co2. Below is only a snippet.
The Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) Program under the Colorado Department of Agriculture has drafted new regulations and amendments. Changes apply to herp, bird, fish, and mammal regulations. There is a link in our alert with the changes marked in red and described in detail (last several pages). This is a first draft for review and PACFA is taking input from stakeholders. We appreciate PACFA working with stakeholders.
Stakeholder meeting: Tuesday, October 15th, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Mountain Time. Registration required.
Rule changes include:
+Enclosure requirements and minimum thresholds before requiring a PACFA license for certain reptiles and amphibians
+ Exemptions from sterilization requirements for cats and dogs in shelters and rescues
+Vaccination requirements for dogs, cats, and ferrets imported into PACFA-licensed facilities
+Adding definitions and rules around foster homes and foster providers
Next Shirt Design Picked! After counting over 1,200 votes, a new shirt design was picked. The boa constrictor design won with 71% of the votes over the ball python design. Both logos were created by Adeline Robinson Art. See the designs on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. We also picked two winners who get prize packages. The boa shrts will be available online at https://usark.org/shop/ in a few weeks.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=936515675171529&set=pb.100064393161692.-2207520000&type=3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DAg1y5UPAaq/
The Original Tinley... It began in the fall of 2001 and now the 2024 edition is up! Thousands of herp enthusiasts from across the globe will be in Tinley Park this weekend, so you should be there, too. USARK appreciates the continued support from Bob and Brian.
The Saturday night auction is going to be huge once again, with special efforts to support great causes. There will be benefits for beloved herpetoculturists we lost this year, fundraising for those devasted by Hurricane Helene, and more. Stick around after the show to support the herp community.
The auction has both live and silent portions so there are opportunities for everyone. Show attendees can come and hang out with the vendors while enjoying the always amusing antics performed by Brian Potter.
Show Schedule: October 12-13
Friday: Setup and VIP only
Saturday: 10:00-5:00 (VIP at 7:30 AM) see bottom of newsletter for more details
Auction: 6:00 PM Saturday in the show convention center (room opens at 5:30 for preview, if possible)
Sunday: 11:00-4:00 (VIP at 10:00 AM)
Location:
Tinley Park Convention Center
18451 Convention Center Drive
Tinley Park, IL 60477
More information athttps://www.narbc.com/.
AUCTION NOTES: There will be adult-oriented language and shenanigans at the auction. While everyone is welcome, parents should be advised if bringing children. There will be appetizers and a cash bar. You must buy tickets at the auction door for admittance.
FREE Vita-Bugs at Tinley! From Timberline - "Tinley Park, you guys absolutely knocked it out of the park in the spring and we know you're going to do it again! You've got one more chance to support our great friends at USARK! Donate at least $5 to our friends at USARK and take home some Vita-Bug feeders! Last time you guys wiped out our inventory for the show so reserve yours today!"
LINK: https://store.timberlinefresh.com/pages/show |
|
|
USARK featured in USA Today article!
snippet: "Bearded dragons have grown in popularity and are great options for people with limited space, or those who suffer from allergies that are aggravated by dogs and cats, according to the U.S. Association of Reptile Keepers."
Read more of "Meet the 'golden retriever' of pet reptiles, the bearded dragon" at https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/pets/2024/09/20/bearded-dragon-care/75274898007/
CONFERENCES
Turtle and Tortoise Preservation Group (TTPG)
November 20-22 in Mesa, AZ.
The TTPG Conference’s amazing lineup of speakers includes turtle and tortoise experts from around the world. The conference attracts attendees from all over the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, and South America. Topics include captive care, nutrition, medical care, captive breeding, incubation tips, raising healthy offspring, enclosure design, and much more. Field trips include visits to private breeding facilities, local zoological institutions, and other interesting experiences, and of course, lots of fun social time is enjoyed by attendees.
Get all details at https://www.ttpg.org/conferences.php.National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA)
October 19-20 in the Dallas area (Plano/Frisco).
Get all details at https://give.naiaonline.org/event/2024-naia-annual-conference-oct-19-20/e583702ALERTS
ALERT: Diamondback Terrapin ESA Listing Snippet: On September 19, 2024, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service (informally known as NOAA Fisheries and an agency within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA) to list the Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA)...
Like many aspects of our world today, ESA must update and evolve. Enacted in 1973, ESA is now outdated and flawed. While well-intended in 1973, and vital for protecting U.S. native species when warranted, the efforts made to protect our endangered species create regulations lacking nuance, which can be harmful to saving species. ESA listings that rely only upon traditional conservation approaches, such as the methodology in this petition, and do not consider our modern world are an illogical dead-end for endangered species.
Read the full alert at https://usark.org/24esa3/.
ALERT: Bill to Add Herps and Fish to the Animal Welfare Act On September 12, Representative Betty McCollum introduced HR9571, which will “amend the Animal Welfare Act to include cold-blooded species as animals, and for other purposes.” This will add reptiles, amphibians, fish, and cephalopods “as animals” under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), meaning the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must develop new regulations. Basically, the USDA would now be required to license and inspect facilities and breeders with these animals. Businesses would need to comply with new USDA regulations or lose their licenses. The USDA recently began inspecting and licensing aviculturists (bird breeders). The bill has been assigned to the House Agriculture Committee. We will post more information when available. Read the bill text at https://usark.org/24us1/.
Snippet: The term ‘animal’ means any live or dead warm-blooded animal (including a dog, cat, monkey (nonhuman primate mammal), guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or bird), cold-blooded animal (including a reptile, amphibian, cephalopod, or fish)...
ALERT: Louisiana Herp Regulation Updates
Comments must be submitted before October 22!
Update from September 5, 2024: The amendments (changes from the previous version) were presented at today’s Commission Meeting. Only two herpetoculturists spoke regarding the rules: a Louisiana turtle breeder and Phil Goss of USARK. The Commissioners accepted the amendments. This opens a new public comment period until October 22. The Commissioners will receive the public comments at a future meeting. LDWF will hold a meeting/workshop to discuss the changes on the date and location below.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 @ 10:00 AM
LDWF Headquarters
2000 Quail Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
All information is posted at https://usark.org/24_la/.Light Bulb Ban Read more information with contact details at https://usark.org/24doe/.
In 2022, the Department of Energy (“Department”) passed a regulation that banned certain incandescent light bulbs. Basically, light bulbs are deemed inefficient if they do not emit a certain amount of lumens per watt. This was meant to transition from less efficient bulbs to more efficient lighting, like LED bulbs.
Reptile lighting is a specialty item and is not used for general-purpose lighting in homes and businesses. However, certain bulbs were reviewed solely on how many lumens they produced per watt. Herp keepers know that halogen and basking bulbs are not used in household lamps for general lighting.
Read the rest at https://usark.org/24doe/.
ARTICLE: "Light bulb ban threatens reptile, amphibian welfare" by the Veterinary Infomation Network snippet: "The ban should be a concern of animal caretakers for many species," said Latney, a senior veterinarian at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center who also is chair of the Association for Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV). "This is particularly true for captive reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammal species that have limited exposure to natural, unfiltered sunlight."
Read the full article at https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&Id=12254509&f5=1.
Find A Vet Need a good herp veterinarian? The Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) can help. ARAV provides a free Find-A-Vet service at http://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661.
USARK Shirts and Hats are Available Online Our shop is open at https://usark.org/shop/(or just click the "Shop" link in the menu on our website). We currently have two shirts and three hats available for sale.
|