Ohio.... Just the start?

[BHB]

The news from late Thursday was not good at all, I had heard rumors of an executive order to ban exotics about a month ago in the state of Ohio, but at that time it seemed unlikely that it would happen. Here’s how things are going, the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) has been working very diligently to get exotic animals outlawed in this country. Don’t think they will stop when they achieve that goal, they will then move onto YOUR pets (dog and cats). Exotics are the easiest of the pet trade to go after because the majority of people are not educated and will not be opposed to supporting a ban. Lets face it most people that hear exotic pets, think that we are keeping Lions in our spare bedroom. We all know about the proposed bills in congress over the past two years, and the possible Rule Change in the USFWS that would ban interstate travel of the big snakes including Boas. Well, the HSUS is a smart bunch of people and they are not putting all their eggs in just those two baskets, they have found a new tactic, and this time it worked! They basically held the Governor of Ohio hostage and threatened to go after the way the agricultural farmers were keeping their livestock unless he made an executive order to ban exotics. So basically if he didn’t implement the exotic ban, that would include all big cats, bears, big pythons and boas as well as venomous snakes, he would lose his next election because the farmers would rise up against him. I understand the Governors position, he took the better of two evils. Yeah, he’s destroying an entire community in Ohio, pet shops, reptile shows, the largest exotic live animal auction in the country, not to mention breeders and wholesalers. Will it cost millions and millions of dollars of lost revenue and tens of thousands of jobs, probably. If he let the HSUS go after the meat farmers it would have cost a hundred times that in revenue and jobs. What is the most concerning here is the HSUS found a way to achieve their goal without having to get ONE vote. You tell me, do you think they are going to use this same tactic in every state that has substantial farming? Of course they will! I morn for the loss of business in Ohio, but I fear for the loss for the entire hobby. This my friends might be the first domino, and we as a hobby have to stand up and stop this insanity before they come to your backyard and stop you from keeping and breeding the animals you love! Support USARK now or we will all be looking back like our friends in Ohio with the look of disbelief. www.usark.org