OH NO!!!!!! Please read!

[Dark_Angel_x322]

I was just checking my email and I got one from the chicago herp group and it talked about a ban in chicago for Herps! It is the same ban that was passed in NYC, only NYC was changed to Chicago. I just got into the herp world and i don't want it taken away. here is a post that was on kingsnake about it... http://forums. kingsnake .com/view.php?id=93764,93764
I put spaces around kingsnake so hopefully you can get to it. Please help anyway you can. I don't want to lose my babies. Does anyone have ideas how to stop this?

[fateamber]

I think people are trying to ban herps almost everywhere now, they have trying to ban them here for a few years now, stupid rspca!

[BWSmith]

I know of a few Chi-Towners trying to stop it. But it looks grim.

[meow_mix450]

Wow that is a real bummer well i havnt heard that they are banning herps here in ontario might be wrong but i hope u can fight it some how good luck

[Dark_Angel_x322]

BWSmith where are you getting your info and how can I get into the loop better. This is the first I have heard of this and I want to help in anyway I can. I don't want to have to move to keep my herps!

[Ed_r]

BW is getting his info from me. I already have a couple of emails to this alderman, but being a Chicagoan , yu know Burke is pretty heavy in the city. We need some strong backing other wise this will get passed behind our backs. A few members of the CHS are on this as well, I'm sure.

[Ed_r]

This would be a good time for the Chicagoans here to come to the next Chicago Herp Society meeting 7/30/03 I'm sure this is going to be the topic of the evening on how to deal with this.
CHS

[Mike177]

well you could see if there are specal lisenes avilable, or you could just not give them up and dont tell any strangers that u have snakes.

[Ed_r]

They would have to grandfather the people that already posses them, and special task forces set up to enforce this. Some isolated cases of monkey pox from some damn prarie dogs, is ruining our entire hobby in one swoop.

Maybe now when I go on a rant about something or someone acting stupid or saying something stupid, you will know where it is coming from. Unfortunately in the publics eye, owning/possesing herps is a very odd and un-necessary privledge. Well now they are desiding to revoke that privledge. The acts of a few bad eggs ruin it for all the responsible keepers. people dumping Boas in the forest preserve, leaving pet alligators un supervised in front of their house, c/b turtles dumped into ponds and lakes where they don't belong, people taking out their 15' Burm out in public to get macho looks and intimidate the neighborhood, people that say their snake will eat their cat for dinner, are all people you can thank for this.

[RachelS.]

Man, what is this world coming to?! That totally sucks!

[Ed_r]

Man, what is this world coming to?!

Big Brother has taken over. More public schools are wearing uniforms, the banning of exotic pets, these are only a couple of things that are happening. We WERE the Land of the Free, now we are the land of the watched and limited. We are our own worst enemy.

[RaVeNo888o]

people are so ignorant. Its odd, you see more and more programs in schools and such that get kids familiar with herps and then the adults just go and try to ban them. What about all the stray cats that are out and about? you dont see them banning cat!!..cats get in your garden and dig up your plants (and they eat snake food). People just dont know what they are doing, they want to feel like they have done something for the public. Go wash some cars or clean a park..

[Ed_r]

Here is a List of Alderman Involved. Thanks to Tom McCarthy for the list.

If you do deside to contact ANYONE on this list. Please by all means THINK before you speak!!! Don't come across cursing and using slang. Be EDUCATED in your points, and be able to back them up completely. This is not a time for viscious Rants. These are elected officials that hold our future as herpers in their hands!!!

These are the people on the committee who will be hearing the ordinance.

President
Alderman: Isaac Carothers Ward Office: 5937 West Madison Avenue
Chicago, Il 60644 Ward Phone: 773-261-4646 E-Mail: icarothers@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 203
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-3070

Vice Chairman
Alderman: Virginia A. Rugai Ward Office: 10444 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60643 Ward Phone: 773-238-8766 Fax: 773-238-9049 E-Mail: vrugai@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 300
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-3072

The rest are all members.
Alderman: Madeline L. Haithcock Ward Office: 449 E. 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60616 Ward Phone: 773-924-0014 E-Mail: mhaithcock@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 300
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-6836

Alderman: John A. Pope
Ward Office: 3522 E. 106th Street
Chicago, IL 60617
Ward Phone: 773-721-1999
E-Mail: jpope@cityofchicago.org
City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 300
Chicago, IL 60602
City Hall Phone: 312-744-3078

Alderman: James A. Balcer Ward Office: 3659 S. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60609 Ward Phone: 773-254-6677 E-Mail: jbalcer@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 203
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-6663

Alderman: George A. Cardenas Ward Office: 2829 W. Cermak Rd.
Chicago, IL 60623
Temporary Location Ward Phone: 773/843-9955 E-Mail: T.B.A. City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 203
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-3040

Alderman: Edward M. Burke Ward Office: 2650 W. 51st Street
Chicago, IL 60632 Ward Phone: 773-471-1414 E-Mail: eburke@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 302
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-3380

Alderman: Thomas W. Murphy Ward Office: 8146 S. Kedzie Ave.
Chicago, IL 60652 Ward Phone: 773-471-1991 E-Mail: tmurphy@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 300
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-6856

Alderman: Arenda Troutman Ward Office: 5859 S. State St.
Chicago, IL 60621 Ward Phone: 773-324-5224 E-Mail: atroutman@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 300
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-6840

Alderman: Daniel S. Solis Ward Office: 2439 S. Oakley
Chicago, IL 60608 Ward Phone: 312-843-1200 E-Mail: dsolis@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 203
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-6845

Alderman: Margaret Laurino Ward Office: 4404 W. Lawrence Ave.
Chicago, IL 60630 Ward Phone: 773-736-5594 E-Mail: mlaurino@cityofchicago.org City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 203
Chicago, IL 60602 City Hall Phone: 312-744-7242

Alderman: Patrick J. O'Connor
Ward Office: 5850 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60659
Ward Phone: 773-769-1140
E-Mail: poconnor@cityofchicago.org
City Hall Office: 121 N. Lasalle St.
Room 305
Chicago, IL 60602
City Hall Phone: 312-744-6858

[RaVeNo888o]

are those the people trying to get the law passed? srry im not legal term literate. lol

[Teana]

Illinois already has The Dangerous Species Act. It bans adult crocodilians and boids, to name a few. They can't enforce it very well though. They basically leave you alone until you take your pet out in public or piss off someone that knows they're illegal and turns you in. It's ridiculous. Land of the free my ***!!!!!! The Government is trying to control everything we do. They are going against our constitutional rights and they don't care. If more politicians owned reptiles we wouldn't have all these restrictions on them. They don't care what they pass as long as it doesn't restrict what they want to do. They make me so mad!!!!!!