I am torn. For every responsible snake owner, there are twice as many imbeciles that should not even own a picture of a snake. How can we in good conscious allow anyone without proper training to own a 14+ foot 150+ pound snake? We should have the right to responsible pet ownership but when do we draw the line at allowing anyone without education to own something that, if escaped, could cause harm?
I would prefer mandatory training and certification before owning certain class of reptiles (anacondas, reties, alligators, large monitors, and basically anything that if let loose will eat the neighbor's dog). How would this be any different than owning a wolf or a tiger or a chimpanzee?
I would also feel it environmentally responsible to restrict and force certification in parts of the US for example that can allow a reptile to become invasive.
This of course means better education on the part of lawmakers as well. I feel we also need better control over breeders and sellers of reptiles. The entire process and chain from legislation, selling, breeding, and ownership needs to be addressed and improved upon.
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