ATTENTION ALL PET OWNERS!!!!!! YOU MUST WATCH THIS!!!!!

[Siren]

Have you heard of HR699? The new bill that will make it illegal to own ANY non-native species? Own fish, birds, reptiles, small pets? If this bill passes, it will be ILLEGAL to own everything from a hamster to a betta fish. The supporters of the bill will try and convince you this only effects people who own large and dangerous exotics, but not one part of the bill says it will only effect tiger, anaconda and wolf owners. The bill clearly states, "all non-native species". That means....if you won't be allowed to own a guinea pig....they are native to South America. They will put not only pet stores out of business, but private breeders and dealers. Such as our very own Shelia. She will not be allowed to breed, sell, or even own parrotlets and her other birds. I'd be stripped off all my pets, except my corn snake, yellow bellied turtle, and soft shell turtle (which are native to Florida). But my rabbit, rats, fish, other turtles and bird would all be illegal to own. It means if your hamsters breed, you are in violation of the law. It means the only pets you will be allowed to own would be canine or feline. And don't think they'll be safe if the ban all the other pets. This bill is supported by HSUS and PETA, both organizations that want to see to it that we don't own ANY pets. Do not support these organizations. If you want to support a REAL animal rescue, donate your money, items, and time to a LOCAL animal rescue.

For more info, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmT1E68lw_g

http://www.nohr669.com/

[Lazario]

It would be great to hear more about this - this is certainly a DIRELY alarming issue.

But your link contains, as YouTube has told me, a "malinformed Video I.D."

[blackcauldron85]

Neither of those links work.

If you already own "non-native" animals, would they be taken away from you? Or as long as they don't have babies you're fine?

Personally, I have issues with breeders and pet stores (there are so many animals out there, I wish everyone would adopt...but of course that doesn't apply to fish and usually not to hamsters or mice, etc.), so my concern (not to sound mean- it's awful when people lose their jobs) is with people who already own these animals.

[Isidour]

Another thing to add to my "Why I won't ever live on the US" list...

[ajmrowland]

My dog's a west-highland terrior. Is that considered "non-native"?

My two cats should be fine.

[Siren]

I fixed the video link. The other link, I believe the site crashed from a lot of traffic.

I'll explain it a bit better....the bill if passed into law would ban ALL non-native animal species from the pet trade, except dogs and cats. This includes, reptiles, birds, small pets, and fish. We aren't just talking dangerous exotic animals like big cats and large snakes. People wouldn't be allowed to purchase, keep, or breed everything from guinea pigs to parakeets to betta fish. The bill is very very murky in what is considered a "non-native" species. Many of your domesticated small pets for instance, had their original start in laboratories. Hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs all originally were brought to the USA to be used in medical testing. Later they were added to the pet trade. However the guinea pig you get at the pet store and the wild cavvy are very different animals...this law does not consider them different at all. Ferrets would also be illegal, as they are non-native, their species trace to Europe. And a majority of birds, reptiles and fish come from Africa, Asia, and Australia. Parakeets are from Australia. Cichlids are from Africa. You would not be allowed to purchase these animals.

This has no effect whatsoever on the dog and cat pet market and puppy/kitten mills. And this sort of ban may have a terrible backfiring in that area. Mom and pop stores that sustained themselves perfectly fine on the sales of small pets, reptiles, birds, and fish, have that revenue taken from them....what else is there to sell that brings in customers but....puppies and kittens from mills?

The people who already own the animals will be allowed to keep them, but if they breed them, they risk having their animals taken from them and euthanized....including accidental breeding.

[disneyboy20022]

I think the bill needs some major tweaks to it.....I mean I am all for not selling wild exotic animals such as tigers or even snakes.....but Guinea Pigs??? If this bill passes.....I wonder what effect it would have on the upcoming Disney Film G-Force...

and I loved the part about accidental breeding......I mean what does the government exepct people to do to keep that from happening...? Condems For Rodents.....

In another somewhat unrelated note...I saw diapers that you can use for your dog at Wal-Mart...not training pads...actual diapers......And You thought changing your brother or sisters diaper was bad....now you have to change Fido's as Well? I mean what will Pluto be wearing them from now on and Goofy just wear them as pull ups for grown ups....??

[Siren]

The diapers aren't really used for the same reasons we use them on babies. On females they are used during heat, to keep blood from being dripped and rubbed all over the furniture and carpeting. In males, its to keep them from marking up the house. I used the diapers on my female shepherd when I first adopted her. She had heartworm and couldn't be spayed till she was cured of it. She went through two heat cycles. I didn't feel like having a 40lbs dog in heat running around the house. But none of the diapers cover the dog enough for catching feces. The diapers are made so the dog can go the bathroom that way no matter what.

And this bill is not to control those large exotics anyways. There are already state and nationwide laws that control the sales and ownership of large exotics. The system certainly needs improvement, but I do not believe in all out bans. As I said, this bill is supported and likely funded by PETA and/or HSUS. Both organizations are 100% against keeping pets. Its a way to working up to banning dogs, cats, horses, etc. PETA calls keeping pets "slavery".

[blackcauldron85]

This has no effect whatsoever on the dog and cat pet market and puppy/kitten mills. And this sort of ban may have a terrible backfiring in that area. Mom and pop stores that sustained themselves perfectly fine on the sales of small pets, reptiles, birds, and fish, have that revenue taken from them....what else is there to sell that brings in customers but....puppies and kittens from mills?

That's horrible. What exactly can people do to stop the bill from passing? (And is that video just explaining the bill? There are no disturbing images?)

(I had something else to say, and I just can't remember what, ugh.)

If the bill passes, what will happen to the "non-native" pets in pet stores or anywhere else that isn't in someone's home? Will they be shipped off to their "native" countries? Will they be killed?

[Siren]

The animals that don't have homes will be euthanized. Any non-native animal turned into a shelter or rescue will have to be euthanized, since the bill prohibits passing the animal from one person to another, even when no sale is involved.

Its only a bill now, right now, signing that petition and contacting your state representative. If the bill actually does make it to the ballot, then voting against it obviously. The biggest and easiest thing you can do now, is pass the info along. Friends, family, other forums, Myspace bulletins, email chains, etc. Education about this bill is key. People who support this bill do so under false pretense, they are advertising this bill like it will stop the keeping of dangerous wildlife like big cats, apes, and large snakes, but the underlying issue here is to have no pets kept at all. If they actually win and this bill was passed (which could only happen if over 50% of the voters were that ignorant), then we will not only see an end to keeping small pets, reptiles, fish, and birds, but dogs and cats also will follow suit.

IMO, I don't think it will make it past the bill....but then again, I NEVER believed a bill like this would get THIS far in the first place. That's why I am trying to tell everyone I know how messed up it really is.

[Super Aurora]

That is fucking lame. The bill should only applied to exotic animals that has high percentage of harming you which would be Lion, Tigers, Bears OH MY!

Not ferrets, Macaws, hamsters etc.

At least iguana can be kept if this is a law.

[Siren]

That is fucking lame. The bill should only applied to exotic animals that has high percentage of harming you which would be Lion, Tigers, Bears OH MY!

Not ferrets, Macaws, hamsters etc.

At least iguana can be kept if this is a law.

Iguanas would be illegal. They are a non-native species, being originally from South America.

Here is the list I have so far compiled of pets we may be able to keep under such a law because they are native to the USA

Birds:
Pigeons/Doves

Reptiles:
Green anole lizards (4" long lizards that don't do well being handled)
bullfrogs
Mud turtles, yellow bellied slider turtles, and a few other species of turtles
Corn snakes
Ribbon Snakes
Garter snakes

Small pets:
Mice
Rats
Rabbits (though I doubt it because I believe they were originally domesticated in England)

Fish:
Cold water freshwater varieties.....most tropicals come from South America, Africa, and Asia.

[Super Aurora]

Iguanas would be illegal. They are a non-native species, being originally from South America.

Isn't some Iguana native in Texas and Florida?

[Chernabog_Rocks]

Iguanas would be illegal. They are a non-native species, being originally from South America.

Isn't some Iguana native in Texas and Florida?

Nope, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean if memory serves. Well, the Green Iguana I believe.

I think there is a Desert Iguana which is common in Sonoan and Mojave deserts in southwest US and Northwest Mexico, as well as several islands in the Gulf of California.

[Siren]

Isn't some Iguana native in Texas and Florida?

Nope, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean if memory serves. Well, the Green Iguana I believe.

I think there is a Desert Iguana which is common in Sonoan and Mojave deserts in southwest US and Northwest Mexico, as well as several islands in the Gulf of California.

There are probably over a dozen species of iguanas. None native to the USA. As Chernabog stated, Central and South America, as was as the Caribbean, and Galapagos islands. Florida and Texas have feral populations of iguanas, but they are no more natural to the those states than the feral wild boar they got too.

Now the Common Chuckwalla, a relative of iguanas are native to North America.

[ajmrowland]

Somebody's gotta start a petition against this bill.