This is a process

[The_Boaphile]

This entire thing with S373, HR669 and the like is a long process. The hearing today was only to officially enter some testimony into "the record". This is just crossing the "T’s" and dotting the "I's" so to speak. This was not at all where the work gets done. The work gets done behind the scenes and the past few days with the phone calls hopefully every single one of you made. Arms are twisted. Opinions are adjusted. And sometimes, yes sometimes the individuals making up their minds about such issues are actually going through a deliberate thinking process to make the important decisions they have to make many many times every year. There are lots of things that go into what they decide. I will list a few of them for you below:

1. The general philosophy of the individual lawmaker to be fore or against something.

2. The pulling or pushing of constituents.

3. The pulling or pushing of financial supporters.

4. The pulling or pushing if influential businesses and organizations in legislation that interest them.

5. The pulling or pushing of the leadership within a party. For instance, if the chairman (woman) of the committee wants you to vote their way, they can AND WILL put pressure on you to vote their way.

6. Many other things as well and somewhere down the list is actually weighing the merits of a new potential law. The calls you and I make, and the letters we right are part of what will help them decide what is in the best interest of the legislator, their constituents and the United States. The last three items not in any particular order.

So that’s it. This is one step in the process and the calls going in either will help or won’t based primarily upon the volume or the lack of volume of them. We all wait to see what happens next.

[dangles]

Re: This is a process

thanks, jeff... that was at least SOMEWHAT encouraging (as much as can be, anyway...)

i just get so sick of this system at times. it's no longer "the voice of the people"

*edit* so should we continue to call, then?

[JLTerry]

Re: This is a process

I have a question and it may be a stupid one but what all animals are included in the "Big 9"?

[dangles]

Re: This is a process

I have a question and it may be a stupid one but what all animals are included in the "Big 9"?

the Burmese python, northern African python, southern African python, yellow anaconda, boa constrictor, the reticulated python, green anaconda, Beni or Bolivian anaconda, and Deschauensee’s anaconda

[JLTerry]

Re: This is a process

the Burmese python, northern African python, southern African python, yellow anaconda, boa constrictor, the reticulated python, green anaconda, Beni or Bolivian anaconda, and Deschauensee’s anaconda

I really don't see why this one is even included. Are there any boa constrictors flourishing in the wild? Has anyone in the U.S. been killed by one? I'm not being a [email protected]$$ but I do not recall any instances and I am curious as to what threat the boa constrictor presents.

[bterrill]

Re: This is a process

I really don't see why this one is even included. Are there any boa constrictors flourishing in the wild? Has anyone in the U.S. been killed by one? I'm not being a [email protected]$$ but I do not recall any instances and I am curious as to what threat the boa constrictor presents.

Maybe i'm just speculating but it's probably because they can hit 10-12 foot ?

I've never heard of anyone being killed by one, but I have heard a lot of stories involving burms (90%) and a few with a retic and rocks (the rocks were all non-american stories though) -- with that said I can't say I've spent ample time looking in to snake stories that involve fatalities or anything.

[MLynch]

Re: This is a process

I really don't see why this one is even included. Are there any boa constrictors flourishing in the wild? Has anyone in the U.S. been killed by one? I'm not being a [email protected]$$ but I do not recall any instances and I am curious as to what threat the boa constrictor presents.

According to the HSUS there are feral boas living in Miami. However, I've never actually seen any reports to justify his claim. I also find it interesting that the USGS ans HSUS consider the Boa to be of higher risk than the Green Anaconda and the Reticulated Python. The Boa is listed as a high risk species to native wildlife and the 'conda and Retic are Medium risk to native wildlife. ...?? To me this illustrates that the people writing the report really have no idea what what animals they are talking about. Both the Retic and 'Conda grow far larger than the average boa, as a result what they can consume is very different. Boas are incapable of eating what a full grown 'conda can. So a proliferation of Anaconda's in the Everglades could pose a potentially greater risk than just Burms or Rocks. ...However I don't think that to date anyone has ever found Anacondas or Retics in the Everglades.

No one has been killed by a boa (to my knowledge), but thanks to media fueled paranoia people tend to view boas as dangerous.

[pookiebuttons]

Re: This is a process

What about the feral cats and dogs living EVERYWHERE!!! I'm sure they have some sort of impact on the environment and maybe carry disease. People just don't like snakes because they think they are evil from the bible. I am so angry tonight it's not even funny. Sorry haha.

[Pandorasdad]

Re: This is a process

What about the feral cats and dogs living EVERYWHERE!!! I'm sure they have some sort of impact on the environment and maybe carry disease. People just don't like snakes because they think they are evil from the bible. I am so angry tonight it's not even funny. Sorry haha.

That is a valid point. How many people are injured by feral dogs every year? Many, many more than are injured by ferel snakes of any species. It simply goes down to the same basic ophidiaphobia that many in the GenPop have.

[MLynch]

Re: This is a process

Feral dongs and cats have a huge impact on various ecosystems, and that has been acknowledged in various studies for decades. It's easier to pick on reptiles since reptile pet ownership is considered a minority compared to cats and dogs. And yes stray dogs and cats are a vector for contagion... but "Reptiles carry salmonella." (...that last comment's said with sarcasm )

And I'm not sure it's the Bible anymore. I've met people who use that as their reason for loathing snakes, but the media plays a pretty big part in it these days. And a great many people believe what they see, and take it for fact, when the information they are getting may not have been thoroughly researched to begin with. Example: we have a friend of the family who is convinced that my boas pose a great risk to our children, and keeps telling us that when boas reach 4 feet they are lethal. ...her basis for this claim: she "heard it on the TV somewhere." ...he irony here is that she and her husband have a puppy that is larger than their children. It can stand and put it's fore paws on my shoulders, and it routinely knocks their kids over, tramples them, and pulls on their clothing in an attempt to play... and she's worried about my boas reaching 4ft.

[Poznak]

Re: This is a process

I think it has to do more with thier impact on the eco-system and native species more than the threat they pose to humans. And yes there are feral boas on the Deering estate a few miles east of the everglades it was in Reptile magazine about 2 years ago.

[dangles]

Re: This is a process

I think it has to do more with thier impact on the eco-system and native species more than the threat they pose to humans. And yes there are feral boas on the Deering estate a few miles east of the everglades it was in Reptile magazine about 2 years ago.

beat me to it...

This is indeed more about the 'impact' on native ecosystems. It seems the politicians have (mostly) learned their lesson about touting the 'danger factor' as a major argument. It's a well documented fact that only 9 people have been killed by large constrictors in the past 20 years (http://www.rexano.org/Statistics/Con...e_Fatality.pdf) and NOT ONE was a boa.

They'll touch on the 'danger' factor every now and again, but it is not the 'big gun' that the environment issue is (which, incidentally, is easier for them to fudge).

[The_Boaphile]

Re: This is a process

I am not beating up on anyone here. But please pay attention!

This has ZERO to do with anything that makes any sense. It has everything to do with payback to political compatriots who support you. Period.

You are HSUS.
You are an extreme liberal animal rights group.
You have willing soldiers in the fight at USFWS, USGS and elected officials in the Senate and Congress.
USFWS coincidentally, yea right, asks the USGS to do research on nine constrictors HSUS has in their sites.
You get some to request "scientific research".
You have other soldiers do the research.
They don't do any real research. Instead they write what they knew you wanted them to write.
You take that tailor made paper to justify the passing of legislation that takes away the right to own and breed some animals you have lied about.
The politicians you own do your fighting because they owe you AND your little group of extremists has given them the falsified justification for such.

Nothing to do with facts. Nothing. Zero. Nadda. Zilch. Feral cats are irrelevant. The legit danger of anything irrelevant. Period. It's a carefully orchestrated strategy to shut down a portion of the animal business that the animal right wackos hate. Bill Nelson does care about the Burmese issue, but this is FAR FAR FAR beyond what Bill Nelson asked for but less than the HSUS has hoped for. It's the animal rights wackos and their willing soldiers in government seeking to kill our hobby. That's all.

[Boa Amarali]

Re: This is a process

That sounds like a loss right there !
how do you fight that ?

Sounds more & more like this guy ,Hackett, Jonathan (EPW)
is one of the best friends we have

I wonder if he can get something done

He contacts me , E-mails with a small response on both occaisions that
I've forwarded useful info to him.

I can't quite figure out who he is exactly
someone on EPW and related with Rep. Inhofe from OK

[The_Boaphile]

Re: This is a process

Not everyone is lined up against us Larry. It's a collective propaganda and deception plot foisted upon those who will decide. Just a few individuals that are influential in elected and appointed positions of power. The extremists are trying to piggy back with this fake science and deliberate deception to conspire to toss out as much of the Reptile trade as they dare to try to in one swoop. The Republicans generally are pro-freedom, pro-business and will fight to preserve our rights and try to prevent them from overreaching the legitimate problems that are facing the southern most parts of Florida alone. Beyond that, some of the Democrats aren't wholly owned by HSUS, including Senator Bill Nelson. Bill Nelson never asked to outlaw an entire industry! He has a problem with Burmese Pythons in the Everglades and he is addressing it in the best way he knows how to. Some members are the people who can be persuaded. Hence the value of the calls that were made. There are many working for us all. Inhofe included that know exactly what has happened here. Hopefully calmer heads will prevail in the end, and the voice of the Reptile World will have been heard by those who will decide this week. That is what everyone hopes for.