well it certainly is something worth talking about...n/m

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Posted by xta on September 06, 2001 at 11:41:39:

In Reply to: HSUS report release posted by Desiree on September 06, 2001 at 11:13:54:

: From the gator forum: http://www.kingsnake.com/forum/gator/messages/11079.html

: HUMANE SOCIETY OF U.S. RELEASES GROUNDBREAKING REPORT: REPTILES AS PETS -
: AN EXAMINATION OF THE TRADE IN LIVE REPTILES IN THE UNITED STATES

: Report Cites Health Threats to Humans, Wildlife, Agricultural Animals;
: Conservation Concerns - Calls on Government to Ban Import/Export and Sale of
: Reptiles in the United States

: WASHINGTON (September 6, 2001) - The Humane Society of the United States,
: the nation's largest animal protection organization, today released a
: landmark report that calls on the federal government to ban the import,
: export, and retail sales of live reptiles in the United States.

: The report, Reptiles as Pets: An Examination of the Trade in Live Reptiles
: in the United States, documents and exposes the abuses of the $2 billion
: dollar a year industry and cites health threats to humans, wildlife, and
: agricultural animals, as well as conservation and humane concerns, as
: reasons for banning the trade.

: Among the report's findings:

: Human Health Hazards All reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria. The bacteria,
: shed in the feces, can contaminate the animal's skin, enclosure, and
: virtually any surface with which it comes into contact. The National Centers
: for Disease Control (CDC) issued a 1999 report stating that reptile-related
: salmonellosis posed a significant threat to human health. More than 93,000
: cases of reptile-related salmonellosis occur each year and the number
: continues to rise as reptiles gain in popularity. Particularly at risk are
: seniors, immunocompromised individuals, and children. The CDC report
: includes many case histories of illnesses contracted from pet reptiles,
: including the death of a five-month-old Wisconsin boy who contracted
: salmonellosis from a pet iguana.

: Health Hazards to Domestic Livestock and Wildlife In March 2000, the
: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an emergency ban on
: the importation and interstate commerce of three species of African tortoise
: known to carry species of ticks that harbor bacteria that cause heartwater
: disease. If heartwater, a degenerative wasting disease of ruminants, were to
: become established in the United States the USDA estimates that mortality
: rates of livestock (cattle, sheep, goats) and wildlife (deer, bison,
: antelope) could be expected to reach between 40 and 100 percent. The USDA is
: currently attempting to mandate a quarantine period for all imported
: reptiles. In addition, the release of unwanted pet reptiles into the wild
: has introduced viruses and bacteria common in captive reptiles into wild
: populations, posing a threat to natural stocks that hold little immunity to
: these exotic pathogens.

: Conservation Concerns The wild-caught reptile trade and the trade in
: ranched or farmed reptiles, poses threats to wild populations. Among these
: are:
: Over-collection: Often the number of animals collected from the wild
: exceeds the species' or stock's reproductive capabilities. Particularly
: endangered are wild turtles, including America's spotted, wood, and box
: turtles. Habitat destruction: Collection methods destroy dens and other
: valuable habitat of reptiles. Snakes in particular are often caught through
: destructive techniques. Exotic species: Unwanted reptiles released into the
: wild compete with native wildlife for food, habitat, and mates. A case in
: point is the red-eared slider turtle, which has been introduced into
: waterways in the United States and around the world, causing untold harm to
: native species.
: Smuggling of rare reptiles: Endangered and threatened reptiles are valued
: because of their scarcity, driving a thriving illegal trade, decimating wild
: populations and threatening outright extinction in some species.

: Humane Concerns Reptiles are among the most inhumanely treated animals in
: the pet trade. Because they are cheap and easily replaceable, dealers,
: captive breeders, and retailers factor huge mortality into their operating
: costs. An estimated 90 percent of all wild-caught reptiles are dead within
: the first year of captivity.

: Despite all this, says Dr. Teresa Telecky, co-author of the report, reptiles
: as pets continue to grow in popularity, helping fuel an international trade
: that mounts into billions of dollars.

: "More than 18 million reptiles were imported into the United States from
: 1989 to 1997," said Telecky, Director of the Wildlife Trade Program at The
: Humane Society of the United States.

: In 1997 alone (the most recent year for which reptile import and export data
: is available), she notes, more than 1.7 million reptiles were imported into
: the U.S. The most commonly imported reptiles are lizards (70%), followed by
: turtles (15%), snakes (12.8%), and crocodilians (1.0).

: The numbers of reptiles exported from the United States, nearly 58 million
: between 1989-97, dwarfs the import figures. In 1997 some 9.3 million
: reptiles, most wild-caught, were exported from American shores destined for
: the foreign pet and hobbyist trade, and for use as food and as ingredients
: in Asian traditional medicines. The most commonly exported reptiles are
: turtles (96.6%), lizards (2.4%), snakes (0.5%), and crocodilians (0.2%).

:
: Domestically, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturing
: Association (APPMA), almost four million households in the United States in
: 2000 contained one or more pet reptiles or amphibians, a 44 percent increase
: since 1998. About nine million reptiles and amphibians (collectively known
: as "herps") were kept as pets in the United States in 2000, a more than
: 10-percent increase since 1998.

: The most popular pets are turtles. Forty-six percent of herp-owning
: households in the U.S. have one or more turtles followed by snakes (22%),
: iguanas (18%), and lizards (17%).

: Adding to the problem, says Telecky, are misleading claims by the pet
: industry to the public about the appropriateness of reptiles as pets,
: falsely marketing reptiles as easier to care for than dogs or cats.

: "The reality is that reptiles do not make good pets. They are hard to care
: for and often require specialized diets and environments," notes Telecky,
: who cites the 90% first-year mortality figures as proof that the general
: public often has little concept of just how difficult it is to raise and
: care for reptiles.

: Moreover, reptiles can be dangerous. The upsurge in reptile ownership since
: the 1980s has meant an increase in the ownership of large and potentially
: dangerous snakes, particularly pythons and boas. There have been many
: near-fatal and several fatal incidents in recent years involving
: constrictors. In August, an eight-year-old Pennsylvania girl, Amber
: Mountain, was killed by the family's pet Burmese python.

: Even the increasingly popular iguana can pose a threat. Sold as hatchlings
: or newborns, green iguanas grow to impressive size, reaching five to six
: feet in some cases, often becoming too large and aggressive to keep as pets.
: Cast-off reptiles - snakes, turtles, lizards, iguanas, and crocodilians --
: are often either released into the wild (where they either die or compete
: with native wildlife) or, increasingly, are surrendered to zoos or shelters
: where they are soon euthanized.

: Telecky says the problems will continue to grow unless the reptile trade is
: banned.

: "The Humane Society of the United States urges federal and state regulatory
: agencies to put an end to the reptile trade for the sake of public health,
: the safety of the nation's livestock and wildlife, and because of growing
: conservation concerns," says Telecky.

: The HSUS is dedicated to the protection of all animals. For more information
: on the reptile trade, contact the HSUS on the Web at www.hsus.org and
: www.animalchannel.net.

:
: ###

: Unofficially, they consider it an alert. Sort of a wake-up call, a shot
: across the bow, to get people talking about the industry, its humane and
: health problems, effect ( or is it affect?)on conservation etc. Guess It
: will
: This release went out on wires today.
: Allen Salzberg
: Editor/Publisher
: HerpDigest: A Free Weekly Electronic
: Newsletter on the Latest News on Reptile and
: Amphibian Science and Conservation
: www.herpdigest.org

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: : From the gator forum: http://www.kingsnake.com/forum/gator/messages/11079.html : : HUMANE SOCIETY OF U.S. RELEASES GROUNDBREAKING REPORT: REPTILES AS PETS - : : AN EXAMINATION OF THE TRADE IN LIVE REPTILES IN THE UNITED STATES : : Report Cites Health Threats to Humans, Wildlife, Agricultural Animals; : : Conservation Concerns - Calls on Government to Ban Import/Export and Sale of : : Reptiles in the United States : : WASHINGTON (September 6, 2001) - The Humane Society of the United States, : : the nation's largest animal protection organization, today released a : : landmark report that calls on the federal government to ban the import, : : export, and retail sales of live reptiles in the United States. : : The report, Reptiles as Pets: An Examination of the Trade in Live Reptiles : : in the United States, documents and exposes the abuses of the $2 billion : : dollar a year industry and cites health threats to humans, wildlife, and : : agricultural animals, as well as conservation and humane concerns, as : : reasons for banning the trade. : : Among the report's findings: : : Human Health Hazards All reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria. The bacteria, : : shed in the feces, can contaminate the animal's skin, enclosure, and : : virtually any surface with which it comes into contact. The National Centers : : for Disease Control (CDC) issued a 1999 report stating that reptile-related : : salmonellosis posed a significant threat to human health. More than 93,000 : : cases of reptile-related salmonellosis occur each year and the number : : continues to rise as reptiles gain in popularity. Particularly at risk are : : seniors, immunocompromised individuals, and children. The CDC report : : includes many case histories of illnesses contracted from pet reptiles, : : including the death of a five-month-old Wisconsin boy who contracted : : salmonellosis from a pet iguana. : : Health Hazards to Domestic Livestock and Wildlife In March 2000, the : : United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an emergency ban on : : the importation and interstate commerce of three species of African tortoise : : known to carry species of ticks that harbor bacteria that cause heartwater : : disease. If heartwater, a degenerative wasting disease of ruminants, were to : : become established in the United States the USDA estimates that mortality : : rates of livestock (cattle, sheep, goats) and wildlife (deer, bison, : : antelope) could be expected to reach between 40 and 100 percent. The USDA is : : currently attempting to mandate a quarantine period for all imported : : reptiles. In addition, the release of unwanted pet reptiles into the wild : : has introduced viruses and bacteria common in captive reptiles into wild : : populations, posing a threat to natural stocks that hold little immunity to : : these exotic pathogens. : : Conservation Concerns The wild-caught reptile trade and the trade in : : ranched or farmed reptiles, poses threats to wild populations. Among these : : are: : : Over-collection: Often the number of animals collected from the wild : : exceeds the species' or stock's reproductive capabilities. Particularly : : endangered are wild turtles, including America's spotted, wood, and box : : turtles. Habitat destruction: Collection methods destroy dens and other : : valuable habitat of reptiles. Snakes in particular are often caught through : : destructive techniques. Exotic species: Unwanted reptiles released into the : : wild compete with native wildlife for food, habitat, and mates. A case in : : point is the red-eared slider turtle, which has been introduced into : : waterways in the United States and around the world, causing untold harm to : : native species. : : Smuggling of rare reptiles: Endangered and threatened reptiles are valued : : because of their scarcity, driving a thriving illegal trade, decimating wild : : populations and threatening outright extinction in some species. : : Humane Concerns Reptiles are among the most inhumanely treated animals in : : the pet trade. Because they are cheap and easily replaceable, dealers, : : captive breeders, and retailers factor huge mortality into their operating : : costs. An estimated 90 percent of all wild-caught reptiles are dead within : : the first year of captivity. : : Despite all this, says Dr. Teresa Telecky, co-author of the report, reptiles : : as pets continue to grow in popularity, helping fuel an international trade : : that mounts into billions of dollars. : : "More than 18 million reptiles were imported into the United States from : : 1989 to 1997," said Telecky, Director of the Wildlife Trade Program at The : : Humane Society of the United States. : : In 1997 alone (the most recent year for which reptile import and export data : : is available), she notes, more than 1.7 million reptiles were imported into : : the U.S. The most commonly imported reptiles are lizards (70%), followed by : : turtles (15%), snakes (12.8%), and crocodilians (1.0). : : The numbers of reptiles exported from the United States, nearly 58 million : : between 1989-97, dwarfs the import figures. In 1997 some 9.3 million : : reptiles, most wild-caught, were exported from American shores destined for : : the foreign pet and hobbyist trade, and for use as food and as ingredients : : in Asian traditional medicines. The most commonly exported reptiles are : : turtles (96.6%), lizards (2.4%), snakes (0.5%), and crocodilians (0.2%). : : : : Domestically, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturing : : Association (APPMA), almost four million households in the United States in : : 2000 contained one or more pet reptiles or amphibians, a 44 percent increase : : since 1998. About nine million reptiles and amphibians (collectively known : : as "herps") were kept as pets in the United States in 2000, a more than : : 10-percent increase since 1998. : : The most popular pets are turtles. Forty-six percent of herp-owning : : households in the U.S. have one or more turtles followed by snakes (22%), : : iguanas (18%), and lizards (17%). : : Adding to the problem, says Telecky, are misleading claims by the pet : : industry to the public about the appropriateness of reptiles as pets, : : falsely marketing reptiles as easier to care for than dogs or cats. : : "The reality is that reptiles do not make good pets. They are hard to care : : for and often require specialized diets and environments," notes Telecky, : : who cites the 90% first-year mortality figures as proof that the general : : public often has little concept of just how difficult it is to raise and : : care for reptiles. : : Moreover, reptiles can be dangerous. The upsurge in reptile ownership since : : the 1980s has meant an increase in the ownership of large and potentially : : dangerous snakes, particularly pythons and boas. There have been many : : near-fatal and several fatal incidents in recent years involving : : constrictors. In August, an eight-year-old Pennsylvania girl, Amber : : Mountain, was killed by the family's pet Burmese python. : : Even the increasingly popular iguana can pose a threat. Sold as hatchlings : : or newborns, green iguanas grow to impressive size, reaching five to six : : feet in some cases, often becoming too large and aggressive to keep as pets. : : Cast-off reptiles - snakes, turtles, lizards, iguanas, and crocodilians -- : : are often either released into the wild (where they either die or compete : : with native wildlife) or, increasingly, are surrendered to zoos or shelters : : where they are soon euthanized. : : Telecky says the problems will continue to grow unless the reptile trade is : : banned. : : "The Humane Society of the United States urges federal and state regulatory : : agencies to put an end to the reptile trade for the sake of public health, : : the safety of the nation's livestock and wildlife, and because of growing : : conservation concerns," says Telecky. : : The HSUS is dedicated to the protection of all animals. For more information : : on the reptile trade, contact the HSUS on the Web at www.hsus.org and : : www.animalchannel.net. : : : : ### : : Unofficially, they consider it an alert. Sort of a wake-up call, a shot : : across the bow, to get people talking about the industry, its humane and : : health problems, effect ( or is it affect?)on conservation etc. Guess It : : will : : This release went out on wires today. : : Allen Salzberg : : Editor/Publisher : : HerpDigest: A Free Weekly Electronic : : Newsletter on the Latest News on Reptile and : : Amphibian Science and Conservation : : www.herpdigest.org

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