Python and Boa Ban
Below you will find out what you can do to help stop them from destroying our Hobby/Business!
December 10, 2009
US S. 373
PIJAC UPDATE
THE PET INDUSTRY’S UNIFIED VOICE
PIJAC UPDATES are provided as a review of what is going on with legislative and regulatory matters not only in your state, but also in other areas of the country. What happens in one state can easily occur in another. We hope this provides information on issues that could affect your business.
SENATE CONSIDERING FEDERAL BAN OF ALL PYTHONS UNDER THE LACEY ACT
*** ACTION NEEDED ON S. 373! ***
CONTACT SENATORS NOW!
S. 373 was amended in the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works on December 10, 2009 by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) to include only the nine constrictor species listed below. Pressure is building to ban (i.e. importation and interstate movement) the following species recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
1. Indian or Burmese Python (Python molurus)
2. Reticulated Python (Broghammereus reticulatus or Python reticulatus)
3. Northern African Python (Python sebae)
4. Southern African Python (Python natalensis)
5. Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor)
6. Yellow Anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)
7. DeSchauensee’s Anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei)
8. Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
9. Beni Anaconda (Eunectes beniensis)
WE NEED YOU TO CONTACT THESE SENATORS NOW TO
OPPOSE S. 373!!! HESITATION COULD = BAN
HERE IS WHO YOU CAN CONTACT:
PET INDUSTRY JOINT ADVISORY COUNCIL
1220 19th Street N.W., Ste 400, Washington, DC 20036
202-452-1525 -tel, 800-553-4387, 202-293-4377 -fax
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN TELL THEM:
• If S. 373 is enacted as drafted, tens of thousands of American pet owners, hobbyists, and business owners across the country will be adversely impacted.
• There is no scientific justification at this time for banning any species of Python; not every species is the same and there is a large difference between the Burmese python that is found in the Everglades and other Python species commonly possessed by reptile keepers and pet owners. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a credible science-based review process underway that should not be circumvented by simply imposing a Congressional ban.
• S. 373 should be amended to address Burmese Pythons in a scientifically credible manner. Priority needs to be given to controlling the existing population in the Everglades – resources are needed for developing baits and traps.
• The is NO justification to list all species of Boas.
• If the Congress decides to ban Burmese Pythons, it should limit the ban to importation of that species into the United States.
• To prevent release of currently owned Burmese pythons into the environment, provisions should be in final law to permit interstate movement of existing U.S. population of Burmese pythons, subject to housing such animals in secure enclosures and compliance with all applicable State and local requirements and best management practices for housing and maintaining large constrictors.
• The final law should also include provisions for financial support to the USFWS and partners to expand the reptile component of the HabitattitudeTM campaign to educate reptile owners not to release their unwanted pets.
• Over the last fifty years, millions of pythons of nearly a dozen species have been imported into the US. Despite the occasional escape or release of these animals, only one species of python has established a feral population. And, the circumstances that contributed to its establishment in the Everglades of south Florida are rather unique and complex.
• Thousands of businesses - snake breeders, pet stores, and manufacturers - in the US rely on the sale of pythons and python-related products. S. 373 would destroy these companies, contributing to greater unemployment and putting families at risk.
• Responsible pet ownership and facilities management are key to preventing the further establishment of pythons. Implementing microchipping requirements could help regulate species of special concern.
• S. 373 does not provide any assistance to state or federal agencies for controlling/eradicating the population of Burmese pythons in south Florida. It will have limited to no conservation benefits for the Everglades and may, in fact, have unintended negative consequences.
• The passage of this bill could inadvertently create an “underground/black” market for banned species.
Please see PIJAC’s most recent PetAlert on S. 373 (http://www.pijac.org/_documents/us_s_373.pdf) for a more detailed account on this issue.
Or you can shoot us an email and we can send you a letter copy that you can sign and either mail yourself or fax back to us and we will send it out.