Maine officials euthanize legalally owned snakes

[pet_snake_78]

Officials in Maine euthanized a transpecos ratsnake because it would pose a danger if it got loose, despite being legally owned. Even to euthanize the one non-permitted snake seems extreme but this is downright disturbing. Story here (http://www.wcsh6.com/story/news/local/biddeford-saco/2015/11/18/scarborough-woman-faces-charges-for-possessing-snakes/76015242/)

Even if all your pets are legal, never let anyone in voluntarily. This just goes to show you the overreach that may result.

[reptiledude987]

Thats crazy. seems so uncalled for but thats the risk you run when keeping an animal you know to be restricted in your area.

[pet_snake_78]

The problem isn't the restricted animal, the problem is they took legally owned animals. They know they are in trouble and tried to offered her damages to keep the lid on this thing but the story is starting to catch on. The reptile community needs to press this issue.

[prairiepanda]

The MDIFW investigation report said a state biologist and a veterinarian both identified all the snakes as illegal to possess.
How does this even happen?? An outright lie in the report? Both the biologist and vet being snake-haters or idiots?

I'm curious what the woman's other 10 snakes were, and why they weren't taken since 3 perfectly legal ones were taken. If the rat snake wasn't in there, I'd assume the officials just went for the largest snakes...unless the other 10 are all babies? The whole thing is just wrong.

The court offered her a deal to pay a $100 fine. She plead not guilty.
This part confuses me. She had the burm illegally and confessed as much, but is pleading not guilty? They said she's only being charged for the burm, so why is she resisting that charge? Yes, the other snakes were taken unfairly, but that doesn't translate to being not guilty of illegally obtaining a burmese python.

[pet_snake_78]

Awww I thought they offered her a 100$ for damaging the legal snakes, sorry I missed that the first time around. I am not 100% sure why she is fighting the one legitimately restricted species, she may just be holding out until all the other details can be sorted regarding this case. I am hoping she is bringing forth a lawsuit for the murder of her legally owned pets.

[PatrickT]

Thats idiotic and would be impossible in germany. Law is does not allow to kill a perfectly healthy animal for bogus reasons like this.

[Minkness]

So wait...all 4 were illegal, or just the burmese?

Also, that does seem extreme to euthinize those animals. They weren't an uncontrolable, agressive dog that attacked someone...and it's Maine!!! The boas and pythons would die in the winter for sure....how are they dangerous or illegal?!?!

I know nothing about the rat snake so have no comment on it other than euthanasia was wrong on all counts since most OTHER seized exotics are placed in sanctuaries, from birds, to fish, to monkies....why are they killing snakes?

[trailblazer295]

Officials in Maine euthanized a transpecos ratsnake because it would pose a danger if it got loose, despite being legally owned. Even to euthanize the one non-permitted snake seems extreme but this is downright disturbing. Story here (http://www.wcsh6.com/story/news/local/biddeford-saco/2015/11/18/scarborough-woman-faces-charges-for-possessing-snakes/76015242/)

Even if all your pets are legal, never let anyone in voluntarily. This just goes to show you the overreach that may result.

I'm confused by the legally owned part. If it was legal to own in that area. That's like killing your dog or cat because it might get loose. A legal pet kept in your home is just that. Something is missing in this story because it doesn't add up.

How did they gain entry to the home in the first place? Who even goes around and knocks on doors?

None of my neighbours know that I own snakes.

[Minkness]

You bring up a good point about the 'legally owned' part. From the report it sounds like they were all illegal to own....so what made her ownership legal? The fact she paid for them and housed them properly?

Euthanasia is still an unjustified extreme, but if they were illegal to own, doesn't that make it her fault?

Sorry if this is off or I am understanding it in the wrong context. I'm just confused.

[bigsnakegirl785]

You bring up a good point about the 'legally owned' part. From the report it sounds like they were all illegal to own....so what made her ownership legal? The fact she paid for them and housed them properly?

Euthanasia is still an unjustified extreme, but if they were illegal to own, doesn't that make it her fault?

Sorry if this is off or I am understanding it in the wrong context. I'm just confused.

It's possible they were either grandfathered in, or the report was altered (i.e. the vet and biologist lied).

Unfortunately that's pretty much how it goes when animals are illegal. Some places may be lenient enough to say "get it out of town in 24 hours or it's dead." Some just come and take them forcefully. Other times, they find out they are indeed legal and then go straight to the judicial system and get them banned, taking the owner's animals with them.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of news stories, we don't really know the whole story.

[Albert Clark]

Hopefully USARK has gotten wind of this, and we will get a better idea of the circumstances and a move to investigate this from our representatives.

[IW17]

God bless America. Land of the free, so long as you do what you're told.

[Aaron_S]

Well I'm glad she admitted she was keeping the python illegally and was trying to get permits to keep him legally. However, next time get the permits THEN get the animal.

[Minkness]

God bless America. Land of the free, so long as you do what you're told.



Dangit...where's that like button!?!?

[prairiepanda]

You bring up a good point about the 'legally owned' part. From the report it sounds like they were all illegal to own....so what made her ownership legal? The fact she paid for them and housed them properly?

According to the article, 3 of the snakes that were euthanized were not on the list of species restricted in Maine and so should be legal to keep, but supposedly two professionals identified them as species that are illegal. Maybe this means that there's other legislation somewhere that the violate, besides the restricted species list, or that there's something suspicious going on....or, it could even mean that the owner herself misidentified those 3 snakes.

I do feel like some more detail would help, though. It's hard to say what's really going on here.

[chairman]

I just checked Maine's law. They have a list of animals that you are allowed to own without a permit. Anything else either needs a permit or cannot be owned.

The list is quite dumb. You can have a blackheaded python but not a woma. You can have a BCC but not a Dumeril's boa. It is unclear whether BCIs are allowed but I think they're technically forbidden; but no fear, that blood python you want is available. And on and on.

Still, even poorly conceived laws need to be followed until they are corrected. Maybe this is the lawsuit that brings Maine's exotic pet laws into the age of reason.

[Minkness]

Man, that's crazy!

[jjhill001]

Awww I thought they offered her a 100$ for damaging the legal snakes, sorry I missed that the first time around. I am not 100% sure why she is fighting the one legitimately restricted species, she may just be holding out until all the other details can be sorted regarding this case. I am hoping she is bringing forth a lawsuit for the murder of her legally owned pets.

You always plead not guilty in things like this. You can always change it later.