But those are the exact arguments that tiger keepers make---"if you agree with regulations on keeping tigers, what's going to keep them from making regulations on housecats!!1!1" Well, because housecats aren't tigers. I'm kind of sick of the propaganda and alarmism in the whole situation, on both sides. Let's use a little common sense. If enclosure inspections would discourage some people from keeping large snakes, maybe those people shouldn't be keeping large snakes.
And, no, I don't think large snakes are a danger to most adults (adults engaging in unsafe handling practices, yes) but children have been killed so clearly some people aren't so great at protecting their children or keeping their snakes contained. Just a little something to make sure that anyone who's keeping a 20-foot snake has half a clue, ya know?
I feel like this is on the same level of requiring inspections for wiring so the structure doesn't burn down. I don't want my house to burn down because my neighbor wasn't good at wiring, and I don't want his kids killed by his ineptness. I want those inspections and I don't care if he wants to squeak about his freedom to wire his own house without any oversight.
Speaking of improving public perception---I think supporting common-sense regulations would at least help people think that snake owners aren't totally off-the-wall.
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