Urgent: Oppose Anti Exotic Pet Bill - HR699

[Guest guest]

[This Bill is insane and needs to be completely defeated. We already have laws

on the books keeping exotic pets from coming into the country. We don't need to

go after captive bred pets/owners. What would be next, dogs and cats. Rick.] 

 

 

 

Hi!

 

Our animals REALLY need our help!  If you have not written to the Congressmen

to STOP HR699, please take the time to do so.  Below is a copy of the ACTION

ALERT from AFA, ASA, and NAIA… with additional info from PIJAC.  Attached is

a listing of the names of the people on the committee that will be discussing

the bill.  You can use the NAIA Capwiz, if you want to contact the

representatives quickly.  Or you can call or fax a letter of your own, as I

chose to do.

 

Here’s the link to the capwiz: http://www.capwiz. com/naiatrust/ home/

 

Here’s the link to PIJAC information: http://www.pijac. org/i4a/pages/

index.cfm? pageid=175

 

 

Here’s the bottom line:

ü       If HR669 passes, exotic animals (pet birds, fish, reptiles, &

mammals) will disappear from this country very soon.

ü       For those of us with exotic pets, we would be able to keep them,

but we would not be able to sell, barter, trade, or transfer (including give)

them to anyone else.  We would not be able to transport them across state

lines.  If we were moving to another state, we would have to leave them

behind… and they would be euthanized.

 

This is a VERY BAD ANTI-ANIMAL Bill!  PLEASE contact the Congressmen!  PLEASE

ask your dog, cat, horse, and other pet-loving, animal-loving friends to helps

us KILL this bill.  We want it to SINK: hook, line & sinker!!!

 

Thank you & Blessings,

Maggie-

PLEASE cross-post everywhere!  Even to those who have seen it, as it may serve

as a reminder of this seriousness.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wide cross posting of this email is requested in its entirety, with links and

PIJAC PDF attachment. 

 

 

 

ACTION ALERT - FROM AFA, ASA, and NAIA, with additional information from PIJAC

 

 

 

WE NEED YOUR HELP - WHETHER YOU OWN AN " EXOTIC " ANIMAL OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL.  

 

HR 669 IS SET FOR HEARING ON 4/23/09.  

 

WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO KILL HR 669 NOW.

 

 

 

THE ISSUE - WHAT IS HR 669? - WHAT WILL IT DO?

 

 

 

" ONE GENERATION AND OUT " is not just limited to purebred dogs and cats.   Now

our " non-native " species " are targets of the animal prohibitionist agenda.  

Under HR 669, " non-native " basically means if a species of animal didn't

live in the US before the arrival of Columbus it is " non-native " , and if HR

669 passes, most non-native species of animal (i.e., exotic animals)

won't remain in the US much longer.    That means your exotic pet bird,

reptile, fish, or mammal.

 

 

 

 

 

HR 669 is a very serious and harmful animal prohibition proposal.   HR 669

is not needed to protect our environment.   HR 699 is the legislative

equivalent of a nuclear bomb that is aimed at the entire US exotic pet

industry, all US exotic pet owners, and all exotic animals in the US.

 

 

 

 

HR 669 is an " anti-animal bill " .   There is no amendment that can fix this

bill.    HR 669 will hurt everyone who owns an animal, and it will hurt our

animals.   Breeder, pet owner, rescuer, rehabilitator, zoo, service or

product provider - it doesn't matter - we will all be hurt by this

bill.     HR 669 needs to be killed at the April 23rd hearing - not

amended, not " made better " - HR 669 NEEDS TO BE KILLED.   Please contact

the Representatives hearing this bill NOW and ask them to KILL HR 669 (see below

for contact information) .

 

 

 

All import, export, transport across State lines, selling, buying, bartering,

or offering to sell, buy or barter, and all breeding, and release, of all

non-native species not on the " approved list "  will be prohibited - even by

zoos, sanctuaries,  and licensed breeders.    Permits authorizing

only  " importation "  may be issued to " zoos, scientific research, medical,

accredited zoological or aquarium display purposes, or for educational purposes

that are specifically reviewed, approved, and verified by the Secretary " .  

There is no requirement that any permits be granted.    Even if these

institutions are able to obtain the required permits, where will they obtain

their imported animals?    Habitat for many species is declining

worldwide, many species are endangered or threatened in the wild, and many

species cannot be imported to the US under the CITES treaty.    The result of

this bill will be to put a stop domestic

breeding of most endangered or threatened species in the US for zoos,

conservation, or reintroduction programs.  Zoos are not immune from the animal

prohibitionist agenda.

 

 

 

If you " possess " a non-approved species " legally " prior to enactment of the law,

you will be allowed to keep it, but all of the other restrictions pf HR 669

will still apply to your species - you will not be allowed to sell, transfer,

transport across State lines, export, barter, trade, breed,  or give that

animal to anyone else.   

 

 

 

Pet owners will not be allowed to take their non-approved pets with them if they

move to another state, and they will not be allowed to transfer them to anyone

else who can care for them.   Those pets will be euthanized when their owners

move, die, or can no longer keep their pets for whatever reason.   Pet owners

and their pets are not immune from the animal prohibitionist agenda.

 

 

 

" Rescue " and " sanctuary "  will not be available for any non-approved  species

unless the rescue or sanctuary keeps only species found within their respective

States.    That result has been contemplated for years.    Rescues and

Sanctuaries are not immune from the animal prohibitionist agenda.

 

 

 

Any person or company manufacturing or selling food or products for non-native

(exotic) species will be affected by this act.   If non-native (exotic)

species cannot be legally possessed, bought, sold, or transferred, there will be

no incentive for manufacturers of food, caging, and supplies for these animals

to remain in business.   Where will non-native (exotic) animal owners obtain

the food and materials needed to keep their animals?

 

 

 

Freeflight of exotic birds will be prohibited.

 

 

 

THE LEGAL DETAILS OF THIS BILL

 

 

 

Under existing federal law, it must be shown that a species is harmful before it

is prohibited.    That approach is reasonable, and has worked reasonably well

for many years.    In essence, HR 669 turns that reasonable approach on its

head, and substitutes the unreasonable  and unjustified approach of " bomb

first, ask questions later " .

 

 

 

HR 669 requires the government to create an " approved " list of

" non-native "  species that will be allowed in the US.   Any species not on

the " approved " list will be prohibited.   Under HR 668 the " approved " list

shall include   " nonnative wildlife species that the Secretary finds

.... based on scientific and commercial information .... (A) are not harmful

to the United States' economy, the environment, or other animal species' or

human health; or (B) may be harmful to the United States' economy, the

environment, or other animal species' or human health, but already are so

widespread in the United States that it is clear to the Secretary that any

import prohibitions or restrictions would have no practical utility for the

United States. "

 

 

 

It takes time and money for the government to study any species and make a

" finding " .   Time and money are always in short supply, and are especially in

short supply in this economy.   If your species is not included on the

original  " approved list " , then under HR 669 you can try to get

your species  " approved " by paying a fee and submitting a proposal to our

government to include it on the " approved list " .   Your proposal  " must

include sufficient scientific and commercial information to allow the Secretary

to evaluate whether the proposed nonnative wildlife species is likely to cause

economic or environmental harm or harm to other animal species' or human

health. "      While your proposal is being " evaluated " by our government,

you and your animals are still subject to the restrictions of HR 669.  

Whether your proposal will ever be granted is pure speculation.

 

 

 

There are more than 9000 bird species, and thousands of species of birds are

kept in the US.   There are many other non-native (exotic) species owned by

animal lovers across the US.   How many bird or other non-native

(exotic) species do you think our government can afford to study and determine

that they can be added to this newly created " approved list " ?   

 

 

 

If the required study can't be made of a species, and the required finding

isn't made about a species, the animal won't make it to the approved

list.    That applies to every species of non-native (exotic) animal.

 

 

 

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP KILL HR 669

 

 

 

Contact your Representatives NOW

 

 

 

1.    You can use NAIA's Capwiz tool to send an automatic email or fax to

each of the Representatives who will hear this bill to ask them to KILL HR

669.     Here's the link to send your email using Capwiz:

 

<www.capwiz.com/ naiatrust/> 

 

 

 

2.    PIJAC has provided us with a PDF flyer which explains to pet

owners how HR 669 will hurt all of us and our animals.    The PIJAC PDF

flyer is attached to this email.   The PIJAC PDF flyer provides you with

contact information - use it.   Please contact your own Representatives 

NOW, and tell them to KILL HR 669.     Be polite and respectful, but be

clear and firm in your opposition to this bill.    Be brief, and tell them a

few reasons why you think it is a bad bill.    Short and to the point works

best.   If you have time, you can also contact all of the other

Representatives in your State.

 

 

 

 

 

Write to your Representative using their contact pages on their websites. 

Unfortunately,  it is sometimes hard for us to contact some of our

Representatives - emails don't often go through, letters aren't read, and we

sometimes have to write individually to our Representatives  using the

contact pages they put up on their websites.    PIJAC has done the work to

give us links where needed for these contact pages for these websites so that

we can make those contacts (see the attached PIJAC PDF flyer), and NAIA is

making " Capwiz " available for the one-shot contact - go to the Capwiz webpage

at <www.capwiz.com/ naiatrust/>

 

 

 

Call and Fax your Representative at the numbers provided on the attached PDF

PIJAC flyer.

 

 

 

Be sure to contact the local office of your own Representative by phone, and if

you can, make a personal visit.    Our congressional representatives are now

on recess, and will return to their work at the Capitol next week.    Let

your Representatives' local offices know NOW that you want them to KILL HR

669.   If the local staff hear from enough constituents that they want a bill

killed, they will let their Representatives know that their constituents  hate

this bill.

 

 

 

 

3.    Distribute this email, NAIA's link, and PIJAC's PDF flyer widely

to everyone you know who loves animals and wants to keep them in our

lives.  In particular, send it to any pet lists you are on.   This bill

will impact almost all non-native animals.   Ask them to contact the

representatives and ask them to KILL HR 669.

 

 

 

You can see PIJAC's earlier alert on HR 669 here:

 

 <http://www.pijac. org public/US_ HR_669.pdf>

 

 

 

You can see the full text of the bill here: <http://frwebgate. access.gpo.

gov/cgi-bin/ getdoc.cgi? dbname=111_ cong_bills & docid=f:h669ih. txt.pdf>

 

 

 

4.    If you have a website or belong to a discussion list, post this Alert

and the PDF attachment.    Ask your friends to do the same.

 

 

 

A NOTE ALL ANIMAL OWNERS, AND ESPECIALLY TO BIRD OWNERS

 

 

 

Does the Pennsylvania  Proposed Ban of the Nanday Conure of 2008 ring a bell

for anyone?

 

 

 

 

For those bird owners who fought so hard and so well for the Nanday in

Pennsylvania in 2008 - that was just target practice.

 

 

 

HR 669 IS THE ANIMAL PROHIBITIONIST NUCLEAR OPTION - STOP IT NOW.

 

 

 

Get your phones, emails, and faxes working and get our troops marching

again.    We need every one of you to help again, and we need the help of

everyone you know.   It doesn't matter if they own a bird, a dog, a cat, a

turtle, a hamster, a fish, a snake, a tiger, a monkey, or any other

animal.    We are all affected by this bill.    Don't let the animal

prohibitionists force their agenda on the rest of us.

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

Genny Wall

 

Attorney at Law

 

Legislative VP, AFA, NAIA

 

 

 

Laurella Desborough

 

Legislative Chair, ASA, NAIA

 

 

 

www.afabirds. org

 

www.asabirds. org

 

www.naiaonline. org

 

 

 

With great thanks to Marshall Meyers of PIJAC for providing their materials and

for working on behalf of all of us.

 

www.PIJAC.org