I was, like most within this community, pretty disheartened regarding the python ban that passed today. I've read a lot of different forum threads and posts as well as blogs regarding this issue and it got me to thinking. Some have said that we need to try and change how people view reptiles. I'm not sure if that is necessarily the route we need to go. I am probably a bit of a cynic, but I just don't think we are going to change how people look at reptiles in time before they get taken away from us. I wonder though, if instead, we may be able to change how people view reptile keepers instead. Unfortunately, I think we tend to get stereotyped in ways that aren't flattering.
I think that bans like what we saw today get past for several reasons. Ignorance and fear mongering from special interests with their own agendas. But also, from government officials who see something that they can regulate that appears unregulated. So it makes me wonder if we can sidestep needless government regulation by regulating ourselves.
I think part of the reason that this occurs to me is that I belong to a licensed profession that has a non-government accrediting professional organization associated with it. Examples of these types of organizations would be the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association just to name a few. These organizations create standards of practice for those within their respective professions. And in many cases, government licensing boards lean heavily on these non- government organizations and the guidelines they set forth. In other words, the government steps in when it needs to but otherwise allow the professions to police themselves.
So in our case, I wonder if the USARK could potentially fulfill that role. I think I would much prefer being regulated by other reptile keepers who actually understand, rather than state or federal governments who act out of fear or political opportunity. If we had our own organization that had a more active role in regulating our hobby, when things like Burmese-pythons-in-Florida or crazy-zookeepers-in-Ohio happen, I think we will have more credibility when we stand up for our hobby. It just seems that the way things are now, the government just doesn't take us seriously.
I don't know if any of this is even feasible or makes sense. I don't know if this is even the best idea for our hobby. This is just me brainstorming out loud. Part of our hobby got taken away from us today. It just seems that if we don't do something different, we could lose a lot more.
Thanks for reading my ramblings. I'm no authority in these matters, but after today, it seems like we need to be thinking and talking about what next.
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