WA far from a hopeless case...

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Posted by wittsd on February 06, 2003 at 19:29:57:

In Reply to: Re: WASHINGTON TO OUTLAW IGUANAS, SNAKES, OTHER ��WILD ANIMALS�� posted by ZX1100 on February 01, 2003 at 08:57:06:

/02 cents response...

> Sad as it is , voicing opinions is worthless due to the fact
> that the lawmakers have already "prepassed" this law and
> others similar to it. Thses people go into their private
> little backwoods shanties and make up this crap. Then they
> propose the idea to their constituents in backrooms behind
> closed doors and vote it into law. But, since they have to
> formally present it, they do.

(I forgot to say, nice forum you have here. Thanks :)

This bill (stated to be authored by API & PAWS, but in reality lifted directly from the first version of Tippi Hedren's "Shambala Bill", intended at the Federal level) is far more severe than any in the last 5 years, and none of these recent attempts even made it out of committee...
The so-called ASPCA are also backing this as part of their ongoing crusade of ignorance against exotics
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lobby_agenda_2003

current bill text:
http://www.leg.wa.gov/wsladm/billinfo/dspBillSummary.cfm?billnumber=1151

There is however a real danger that in being so severe, the lawmakers might this time go for an option whereby 80% of those people impacted might be exempted, so long as they're willing to sell other exotic owners down the river.

The "evidence" supplied to support the bill was minimal. (One of the strongest supporters of the bill is a former owner who allowed her 2 year old kid to play with her own exotic cat... and now she's got a "this should never happen to anyone again" attitude... as though the same incident couldn't have happened with a domestic dog, cat or horse).

There's an audio recording of the WA HB1151 hearing from last Friday at:
http://198.239.32.162/ramgen/200301/2003010145.ra
(starting at around 49 mins 30 seconds, in)
with my very rough notes on the content/speakers at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenix_Exotics/files/wa_hb1151_nt.txt

At very short notice, a good group of people against the bill turned up, including herpers, hybrid owners (e.g. wolfdogs), exotic cat owners, etc.

IMHO, the only option is to try to kill the bill dead (in it's current form), rather than plea-bargain on a species-by-species basis. The authors have NO interest in discussing any perceived "issues" with responsible owners groups.

We put together an extensive list of items/points against the bill,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenix_Exotics/message/23568 ,
but still require more input from various parties, especially primate owners and herpers, now that we're heard their "case"... (little more than "(irrational) fear and loathing", IMO).

btw. There was a similar hearing in Olympia, WA, yesterday, for Thurston county. The people from PAWS are trying to introduce this here, there and everywhere (and the more counties they get, the more they push for a "levelling" across the whole state). A handful of people vs. all the responsible exotic owners in WA...

None of us ever said everyone should be able to keep all exotics, no?... some people just don't have enough commitment to keep a pet rock, far less domesticated dog, etc. Why should this bar the rest who have?

Regards,
David.

Phoenix Exotics elist

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