HR669 is toast!!!!! Just got the email:)

[kc261]

I already said something about this in another thread, but I'll repeat it here.

I have very mixed emotions about what happened today. It is obvious that HR 669 as it was written is dead, and I am glad.

BUT, there is a double edged sword to that. What they will do is add in a much longer list of exempt animals, maybe tweak a few other things to make other groups happier, and then it will come back. I don't know the process well enough to know if it will still be called HR 669 or not, but that really doesn't matter.

What will happen is that animals such as ferrets, guinea pigs, and tilapia fish will all be protected just the same as cats & dogs were in the original one. Or maybe they'll have exemptions for people raising animals for food. Whatever the details are, next time around, there won't be some guy from some big fish company arguing our side. Next time, the ferret guy I saw won't be there.

Next time, the reptile industry may be standing all alone. That will make it much harder to fight. Even if we manage to send just as many letters, emails, and make just as many phone calls, the reps won't listen as much as they did when they understood that they had offended the entire pet industry.

Yes, celebrate for what happened today. But be aware that by not managing to kill it DEAD with a single blow, we may have actually made a much harder fight for ourselves.