NatPET Response to the NY Times

[Adam_Wysocki]

On February 1st, 2010 The New York Times Published an Editorial titled "Grappling With Pythons". The piece advocated a Federal ban on the interstate transport of pythons & boas and unfairly characterized snake owners as people who "often tire of these living conversation pieces" and "do the worst thing possible for the environment".

The article can be read in it's entirety here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/opinion/02tues4.html.

The following is the response from The National Pet Association:

Squeezing out the Truth about Pythons

To the Editor:

In the Feb. 1st Editorial (“Grappling with Pythons”), readers may have been left with the impression that most snake owners at some point have a tendency to open up their doors and toss their pets away. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Snake owners are no different than dog or cat owners and many form close bonds with their pets. The fact that their choice isn’t popular or easily understood shouldn’t result in their being vilified by the actions of an irresponsible few.

There is little doubt that Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades are a serious problem. Reports that suggest that some constrictors could possibly survive north of Florida are controversial. One fact is absolutely clear: an interstate transport ban on these animals won’t solve Florida’s python problem or stop irresponsible people from releasing snakes. It will only hurt responsible snake owners who are doing everything right.

Adam Wysocki
The National Pet Association
www.natpet.org