I will respond but my answers will be tailored to the bill currently making its way through my own state's legislature.
First, the bill was obviously not written by people who are knowlegeable about exotic animals. The prior version that passed the House uses the term "poisonous" rather than "venomous" snakes. The current version defines all venomous snakes the same way, so legally a hognose or even a garter (yes garters are venomous) is equivalent to a timber rattler.
Second, the bill is being voted on by people who know even less about exotic animals. Not just one, but two legislators we contacted used the "snow snake" deaths as a reason why they were supporting the legislation. The snow snake is an internet hoax.
Third, another reason being touted for the legislation is because someone released a croc/monitor in a lake in WV last year, which is already a violation of our law. It's not widely known but the perp was caught and confessed... and he will not be charged. I got that info straight from the governor's office yesterday.
Fourth, this bill supposedly will protect public safety by banning/restricting/requiring permits for certain species... yet no one can cite numbers from doctors, hospitals, emergency rooms, etc. in the state on how much damage/injury/death there is from exotic animals kept as pets (as opposed to people who get tagged by wild copperheads or rattlesnakes).
Fifth, the bill requires keepers to purchase liability insurance that would be either prohibitively expensive or unobtainable from most providers.
Sixth, the preliminary number I've been given for the annual permit fee is $200 per animal per year. That number is being set by an unelected board, not by statute. Permit fees go to the state's general fund, not to additional funding/training for animal control officers so that they can learn to handle or house exotics, or so they can identify abusive conditions.
Seventh, the legislation does nothing to address setting minimal husbandry requirements for each species such as we have for livestock.
Eighth, setting a length limit on snakes encourages "maintenance feeding" to keep the snake's size under the limit.
If a keeper of an exotic animal is doing so under conditions that create a legitimate public safety issue, there are already laws in place to handle it - everything from reckless endangerment through manslaughter.
Originally Posted by NH93
I don't mean to start anything (and I sincerely do not want a debate - I truly am curious), but I live in Canada. Our government has banned, nation-wide, all snakes large enough to seriously injure an adult human - as in, reticulated pythons and anacondas, those sorts of species along with large crocs and alligators - and all venomous snakes (not including the rear-fanged or mildly venomous like hog nose snakes).
I don't really understand the frustration against these laws...
I understand that it impedes your individual freedoms. I really do.
However, here we have had issues with people owning exotic animals like large cats, and those people have unfortunately either been very badly hurt or killed BECAUSE they didn't know how to take care of them. Which gives the animals a bad reputation that they DO NOT DESERVE. Nor do they deserve the abuse they often go through being mistreated and malnourished. That's not to say all people do this, because they don't. But some do... and that is not fair to the animals, either.
So my question is, if laws like those in Canada (or similar) are introduced to parts of the USA, do you think they serve any purpose at all?
My thinking is, they will protect people who do not understand or know how to properly care for the exotic animals which can and do sometimes harm them (as all animals can), as well as the animals themselves.
If you already own some of these animals, and do properly care for them, would you be entitled to keep them due to "grandfather laws"?
Or do you think the risks associated with keeping "dangerous" herps (not sure I agree with this term, but the kind that truly can injure or harm adult humans... not, like, a 6 foot corn snake) outweighs the government's choices?
Looking forward to some respectful feedback and opinions
Thanks! (Also an apology to the OP for high-jacking a bit. I hope this only contributes to your thread!)
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