It seems no one is safe from the government, no matter what animals you have.

[wolfy-hound]

If the law is so easy to find, why is it somehow excusable for them to not follow it? Everyone here usually agrees that if someone owns a exotic snake that is illegal in their area, it's THEIR responsibility to have checked their local laws, right? Just because it's 'natural' production or a 'family business', doesn't mean they're exempt from checking the laws before they go ahead and do whatever they want to.

Frankly, I find it ridiculous that they want to regulate pets but not food rabbits, since a sick rabbit sold as a pet is not likely to cause harm as a rabbit intended to be eaten. Unless the USDA facility processing the rabbits is inspected, but that doesn't cover the ones sold directly to consumers either.

So if I want to buy a dead rabbit, it's all fine... but buy a live rabbit for a pet and it has to be inspected.

And the fines enacted are ridiculous, but most of the time the "announced" fines are not what end up getting paid.

Of course, Natural News is not likely to post anything that might show a reasonable side, instead of ranting that everyone should be able to whatever they like without any inspection at all if you slap the "organic" or "natural" label on it. Yet, the first people to point and scream about any food issues? Yeah.

Myself, if I buy a dead rabbit to eat, or a dozen eggs, or a side of beef or a pet from a place that is NOT USDA inspected, I feel I'm taking my chances and I know it and I have no reason to squall if I get sick from eating it or handling it. Sure, I'll blame those I bought from, but not the government for not inspecting them, when I knew they weren't inspected. So instead of the government jumping on non-inspected producers.... let them produce and sell, and if the general public gets sick and sues them, then tough luck. If they produce good stuff and people like it, they keep buying it, and the producers pay more taxes on their higher income, all good.

The government gets involved in every aspect of everything because the American Public has insisted that's what they want. "That's not safe enough!" "What about the children!!??" has been squalled by the general public for years. Instead of not buying a unsafe toy, the public wanted the government to require inspection of all toys or the company can't sell them. Instead of choosing to buy raw milk or pasturized, it was "Children could get sick!!" Instead of taking responsibility for their own actions, the public wanted the government to require everyone to do things in the safest manner. And now that the government is meddling in everything, the public wants to cry 'No no! We don't want you to interfere with ME!'

Shrug. The generations of "no personal responsibility" are now reaping what they created.

"It's not my fault, I wasn't loved enough as a child!"
"It's not my fault, I can't spare time to read the warnings!"
"It's not my responsibilty to check the rules before I do this thing!"
"It's not my responsibilty to make life choices that aren't as fun or responsible!"