I don't know how many people here have some of the more exotic/unusual pets, but there is a new bill being introduced to congress later this month that could have the potential to cause a lot of heartache to a lot of pet owners. The gist of it is the potential ban of non-native species that could be deemed harmful to native flora/fauna. This bill includes plants, insects, mammals, and others. The problem is that the "accepted" and "banned" lists won't be made up until after the bill is passed, if it is successful. Granted, it's crossposted(with permission) from a ferret forum, so the views are slanted that way. It's just as active on herpe sites, rattie sites, etc. Here is some info on it, as well as the pertinent language from the bill itself.
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:27:03 -0400
From: Sukie Crandall <
sukiec@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: on the sneaking rush (House of Representatives, national Congress)
Nope, not of ferrets
<http://www.theledger.com/article/20090413/NEWS/904139990?Title=-Bill-Threatens-Pet-Trade>
It begins:
>There is an issue trying to be rushed past us by Congress on April
>23.The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (HR 669) will
>totally destroy the pet trade. This bill would ban the sale of
>nonnative species, including almost every bird, reptile, tropical
>fish, and many mammals such as hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and
>ferrets.
If anyone is actually noticing this for the first time or is new to the
FML there has been info on this and things to say in your polite
letters against it in the FML for the past week and half or two weeks.
I think it was Scott who first noticed it if I recall correctly.
<http://www.petproductnews.com/headlines/2009/04/01/hearing-slated-for-nonnative-species-ban.aspx>
http://www.pijac.org/files/public/US_HR_669.pdfScroll down for the committee members in here:
http://www.pijac.org/files/public/US_HR_669.pdfFind your own Rep and contact info:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtmland by using these which have live links to click open:
http://directory.usayfoundation.org/http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.htmland your local library and town hall can also tell you who your Rep is
in House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. and give you phone
numbers and addresses.
IF YOU DON'T STEP FORWARD ON THIS SCORE NO ONE ELSE CAN DO IT FOR YOU.
NUMBERS ARE NEEDED. Be polite!
Sukie (not a vet)
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SEC. 14. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act:
(1) AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES TASK FORCE- The term `Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force' means the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force established under section 1201 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4702).
(2) IMPORT- The term `import' means to land on, bring into, or introduce into, or attempt to land on, bring into, or introduce into, any place subject to the jurisdiction of the Government of the United States, whether or not such landing, bringing into, or introduction constitutes an importation within the meaning of the customs laws of the Government of the United States.
(3) NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL- The term `National Invasive Species Council' means the National Invasive Species Council established by Executive Order 13112 on February 8, 1999 (64 Fed. Reg. 6183), as redesignated by section 13.
(4) NATIVE SPECIES- The term `native species' means a species that historically occurred or currently occurs in the United States, other than as a result of an intentional or unintentional introduction by humans.
(5) NONNATIVE WILDLIFE SPECIES- The term `nonnative wildlife species'--
(A) except as provided in subparagraph (C), means any live species or subspecies of animal that is not a native species or subspecies, whether or not born or raised in captivity;
(B) except as provided in subparagraph (C), includes--
(i) any such live, wild species or subspecies of mammal, bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, insect, mollusk, crustacean, arthropod, coelenterate, or other invertebrate, and
(ii) any viable egg, sperm, gamete, or other reproductive material or offspring thereof;
(C) does not include any species that is--
(i) specifically defined or regulated as a plant pest or approved for biological control purposes under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.); or
(ii) defined or regulated as a threat to livestock or poultry under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.); and
(D) does not include any cat (Felis catus), cattle or oxen (Bos taurus), chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), dog (Canis lupus familiaris), donkey or ass (Equus asinus), domesticated members of the family Anatidae (geese), duck (domesticated Anas spp.), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus), horse (Equus caballus), llama (Lama glama), mule or hinny (Equus caballus x E. asinus), pig or hog (Sus scrofa domestica), domesticated varieties of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), or sheep (Ovis aries), or any other species or variety of species that is determined by the Secretary to be common and clearly domesticated.
Author