Florida lawmakers wrapped up in ban on pythons and other animal legislation

[Staff]

Florida lawmakers wrapped up in ban on pythons and other animal legislation
By Robert Samuels, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
In Print: Thursday, March 11, 2010

Florida lawmakers wrapped up in ban on pythons and other animal legislation - St. Petersburg Times
excerpt from above:

The week before, when the bill was presented to a different House committee, members noted their approval with a tongue-in-cheek: "Yessss."

Such is the life of an animal bill trying to become law. They draw bad jokes, dramatic anecdotes and scads of lobbyists. In a year when cost is key, proposals like the python bill — with no tax dollars attached but plenty of political juice — become exceedingly popular among legislators.

"It's a good year for these kinds of bills," said Janet Bowman of the nonprofit environmental group, the Nature Conservancy, "because they don't have fiscal impact."

[Staff]

reply to the legislation
Erin Sloan wrote:

It is not just Pythons but if they really want to save the ecostsyem they need open season on all feral cats,dogs, and hogs as well. Without this the whole python witch hunt is nothing more than hypocritical scapegoating that will accomplish nothing. A ban on pythons will accomplish nothing in itself. I find it in bad taste mrs. Williams says the python bill is different than a Pitbull ban only because she owns one. I am not against Pits but numbers have shown which animal causes more deaths per year. Politicians need to get real and stop being afraid domestic animal owners are going to get their undies in a bunch by opening season on all feral invasive species. Otherwise they show their inability to deal with the problem.

[Staff]

State poised to ban the sale of Burmese pythons
By Robert Samuels
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
State poised to ban the sale of Burmese pythons - Florida - MiamiHerald.com
excerpts from above:

Although few would contest that the presence of Burmese pythons and Nile Monitor lizards has disrupted the ecosystem as they've taken hold in Florida's subtropical climate, some still question whether the bill has overstepped an entirely different boundary.

``The consensus among scientists was that a much better proposal is to institute assessment and screening and advocate the responsible disposal of pets, which Florida already has,'' said Frank Mazzotti, a wildlife scientist for the University of Florida. ``If you are going to ban snakes, why not ban all invasive species?''

This week, the commission drafted a provision to protect the industry. It would allow the sale of the creatures from breeder to breeder or to interested buyers who live outside Florida.
The provision would also mandate that those breeders would keep the animals in high-security quarters.

He said the reptile industry is the root of the problem, beginning from the days when breeders saw their cages ransacked during Hurricane Andrew and unintentionally loosed the population into the Everglades.

[Staff]

Florida SB 318 passed
http://www.floridaanimallaws.org/sb_318.pdf

The Invader Updater - Legislation
Invader Updater - Invasive Species News for Busy Extension Professionals

•FWC Rule Change - Reptiles of concern require permit, $100 fee, microchip & reporting

[Equilibrium]

They missed boas and quite a few other species of snake that should have been included. The Sloan poster has some good points about domestic animal owners.

[Equilibrium]

Aw shucks.... we missed a chance to show our support for the pet industry by commenting on the snake ban, Deadline to Comment on Constrictor Snake Ban Approaches. And.... there was even a little prepared blurb for us all to sign and e-mail helping us express our outrage for the proposed ban.