Lacy Act

[Madness420]

i personally have not been affected by the lacy act, and as it stands i dont think i ever will, but i just wanted to voice my opinion on the subject. love for snakes aside, i think it's pretty messed up anytime the mistakes of a few people results in the revoking of the rights of many. that kind of legislation is one of the main problems with america. as far as snakes go, yes it is a good idea to prevent some people from buying an anaconda or retic, there are stupid people that make stupid decisions that end up affecting the whole community. but there are lots of people who are more than capable of responsibly owning a giant constrictor. to generalize every possible owner is extremely unfair and a real shame. there has to be a middle ground that everyone can agree on. the government legislates your right to drive a car, why not legislate giant constrictors in a similar way? i mean, would it make sense to ban cars entirely because some idiots like to get drunk and cause accidents? of course not. the same approach should be used in the area of potentially dangerous pets. i think herpers would be more than happy to undergo a sort of "drivers license" test to gain access to large reptiles as apposed to a complete ban of the animal. this is all just another example of government stupidity and laziness.

[millertime89]

I was affected, I had to sell a 6 year old Dwarf Burm when I moved last year and my roommate had to sell a pair of 12ft albino burms at the same time. It is unfortunate that lawmakers are using it the way they are when the original intentions behind the law were so good.

[Madness420]

i think its stupid that i can buy a green mamba but not a green anaconda. not that i really want either one, but the principle is rediculous.

[Kera]

I agree, they shouldn't let anybody buy anything, but they also shouldn't ban the snakes altogether. Of course this is just about everybody's opinion in the snake community. The ideal thing to do would be like you said, to take a test, or purchase a license in order to own certain snakes exceeding a certain length or with venom.

[Madness420]

wuts wrong with a dwarf burm? dont they only get like 6-7 feet?

[SnoopySnake]

wuts wrong with a dwarf burm? dont they only get like 6-7 feet?

Yes but they're still burms so they're still on the lacey act.

Does anyone know what the regulations are on hybrids including species on the lacey act? Like burmballs and bateaters, etc.

[Madness420]

i read that they may add boa constrictors to the list. if they do, will that include brazilian rainbows and sand boas too? are they being that general? thats stupid. a red tail boa is dangerous so a sand boa is dangerous too?

[Mikoh4792]

i read that they may add boa constrictors to the list. if they do, will that include brazilian rainbows and sand boas too? are they being that general? thats stupid. a red tail boa is dangerous so a sand boa is dangerous too?

It's their intention to ban all reptiles eventually. So as more and more species get added onto the list, we lose more of our grip on the hobby.

[Kera]

By boa constrictor they mean the animals under the names Boa Constrictor Imperater, Orphias, Constrictor, etc etc.
I believe.

[Madness420]

how do we fight back?

[NewSAHSnakeMom]

I thought the lacy act was about snakes being sold/traded/moved across state lines, not what snakes you could own? I guess I'll have to reread that one.

[Madness420]

it is about trade and crossing state lines. so i can buy an anaconda, but the seller has to be in my state. thats how it starts tho...

[NewSAHSnakeMom]

Ah OK I was thinking I know I'm not an idiot what am i missing lol

[Madness420]

its insane to think that banning interstate trade is going to stop people from owning these animals. what happens when something is banned? the industry is taken from law abiding citizens and given to organized criminal groups. just look at prohibition.

[NewSAHSnakeMom]

So then we would what start a snake Mafia? And have bootleg snake runners?

Disclaimer: This is a joke BTW! I am in no way supporting organized crime!

[Madness420]

somebody would. because when the interstate trade is banned, the price for that species in a state with few breeders will skyrocket. and with organized crime, its not about the product, its about the profit. groups that already exist would cash in. so the sales will still take place, the difference is the profit goes to criminals instead of snake lovers.

[NewSAHSnakeMom]

Oh I know! Hence the reason I added the disclaimer, I wanted everyone to know I wasn't part of it.

[Mikoh4792]

I thought the lacy act was about snakes being sold/traded/moved across state lines, not what snakes you could own? I guess I'll have to reread that one.

Yup that's basically it....for now lol.

[Pirarucu]

So then we would what start a snake Mafia? And have bootleg snake runners?

Disclaimer: This is a joke BTW! I am in no way supporting organized crime!Would it surprise you? Animal smuggling isn't exactly nonexistent.

[millertime89]

You can own the animals if your city/county/state allows them but you can't transport them across state lines. Currently it's just Yellow Anacondas, Burmese and Indian Rock Pythons, and Northern and Southern African Rock pythons. However there is talk that Boa Constrictors (BCC, BCI, etc.), Retics, Green, Deschauensee and Beni's Anacondas will be added. The last two are the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard because nobody keeps them in captivity. I don't even know if there are any in this country even in zoological collections.

Prohibition doesn't work. Plenty of people are moving the animals but nobody is getting caught doing it, not like there's an USFWS agent on every road that crosses a state border. I chose to sell my animal rather than commit a felony.

[SnoopySnake]

You can own the animals if your city/county/state allows them but you can't transport them across state lines. Currently it's just Yellow Anacondas, Burmese and Indian Rock Pythons, and Northern and Southern African Rock pythons. However there is talk that Boa Constrictors (BCC, BCI, etc.), Retics, Green, Deschauensee and Beni's Anacondas will be added. The last two are the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard because nobody keeps them in captivity. I don't even know if there are any in this country even in zoological collections.

Prohibition doesn't work. Plenty of people are moving the animals but nobody is getting caught doing it, not like there's an USFWS agent on every road that crosses a state border. I chose to sell my animal rather than commit a felony.

I still don't get why they put yellow annies on there before greens, if I'm not mistaken the yellows stay fairly smaller don't they?

[millertime89]

I still don't get why they put yellow annies on there before greens, if I'm not mistaken the yellows stay fairly smaller don't they?

Correct. It baffled many others as well.

[NewSAHSnakeMom]

Would it surprise you? Animal smuggling isn't exactly nonexistent.

No it wouldn't surprise me at all, however coming from a family that was rumored to be bootleggers during the actual prohibition I tend to try to stay well above the law. So no, it's not surprising and I am against the government controlling ownership and sales of snakes. However I can also see the need to have a way to monitor how they are shipping certain types of snakes. But for an outright ban I think its uncalled for. That's only my opinion, as a house wife. I like to think a pretty smart house wife but that's an opinion too! ;)

[millertime89]

No it wouldn't surprise me at all, however coming from a family that was rumored to be bootleggers during the actual prohibition I tend to try to stay well above the law. So no, it's not surprising and I am against the government controlling ownership and sales of snakes. However I can also see the need to have a way to monitor how lol are shipping certain types of snakes. But for an outright ban I think its uncalled for. That's only my opinion, as a house wife. I like to think a pretty smart house wife but that's an opinion too! ;)

Hey, without bootlegging we wouldn't have NASCAR!

[NewSAHSnakeMom]

Hey, without bootlegging we wouldn't have NASCAR!

That's right! Let's go racing!

[MDT]

Uninformed/prejudiced legislators make bad laws.....Period.

In any of these posts, replace the word retic or anaconda with AR-15. You'll see the uninformed and the prejudiced come out of the woodwork trying to legislate what I should or shouldn't own. Snakes, firearms, whatever.....If it's deemed "distasteful" by "normal" people, it'll be legislated away.

[franks]

Uninformed/prejudiced legislators make bad laws.....Period.

In any of these posts, replace the word retic or anaconda with AR-15. You'll see the uninformed and the prejudiced come out of the woodwork trying to legislate what I should or shouldn't own. Snakes, firearms, whatever.....If it's deemed "distasteful" by "normal" people, it'll be legislated away.

Too true doc.

[NewSAHSnakeMom]

Exactly, fear at its finest!

[Madness420]

my family's company is making these and selling them for $10 +shipping. i would like to use a portion of the profits to help fight the Lacey act. any ideas on that? and if you want one let me know i can do any size any color shirt any color ink. as far as i know paypal would be the only method of payment at this time.

[millertime89]

Whatever portion you want to give, give to USARK and make sure you specify it is for the lawsuit.

[Madness420]

Whatever portion you want to give, give to USARK and make sure you specify it is for the lawsuit.

Thank You :)

[bigsnakegirl785]

Right now all comments have been closed on it, so the only thing we have to do is wait for final word, we have no more do now. The comment period closed at the end of July.

We may still be able to put our word in, but as far as I know everything is now closed and they are making their decision on whether or not these animals will be added.