2007 Update on Python Bill of 2007
or Reptiles of Concern as it was called the second time aroundThanks to all of you who wrote letters to your Florida legislators about the Python Bill it has passed both the Senate and the House unanimously signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist on July 2, 2007.
While snakes are a little off topic for Big Cat Rescue, the reason this bill was so important is that it will also require people in Florida who exhibit Class I animals, for compensation or not, to either carry 2 million dollars in liability coverage or post a $10,000.00 bond with the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission. Class I animals include tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, bears and next year will hopefully include cougars. If people are going to be allowed to keep these dangerous animals, they should be held accountable for any damage they do through the owner’s negligence.
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This bill will also enable the FWC to move more quickly to shut down dangerous and abusive situations because it spells out what constitutes a violation and what the penalties are. It also provides a cushion of funds, provided by the exhibitor’s mandatory contribution to the bond, so that the FWC can afford to step in and feed and relocate Class I animals that are in crisis.
Perhaps even more important is the fact that this will stop a lot of low-life-types from bringing their baby tiger photos booths to Florida and will dry up the market for baby big cats to be used in practices that are unsafe for the public and unkind to the cats.
Thanks again for writing letters to your legislators. It really made a difference! Now you can help us stop the exploitation of contact with big cats at a Federal level. Haley’s Act has been introduced in Congress and is picking up momentum with every letter you write. Visit www.CatLaws.com now to send your letter and save thousands more of these wonderful lions, tigers and other big cats from lives of exploitation, abuse and abandonment.
The Python Bill of 2006
The Python Bill of 2006 language is not the same as the language that was ultimately passed in 2007. The following is for the history of the bill only.
Inspired by alligator eating pythons that are now taking over Florida, Representative Ralph Poppell and Senator Posey announced on February 9, 2006 their joint bill to restrict the trade in dangerous reptiles. What makes this such a landmark decision is that the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission has had constitutional authority in this arena that has precluded the citizens of, and visitors to Florida, from having a voice in how exotic animals are treated. The FWCC is an agency of non elected personnel who earn money from selling permits to have exotic animals and therefore have little incentive to restrict that activity.
Florida’s constitution is so badly flawed on this subject that cities and counties are precluded from being able to draft more protective laws. As a result the animals continue to suffer lives of deprivation and abuse. Those who live in and visit Florida are exposed to the dangers of being attacked by escaped tigers, anacondas, bears, wolves and monkeys. Due to our susceptibility to hurricanes this danger is particularly relevant.
This
proposed bill, referred to as the Python Bill, opens up the Florida Statutes
to amend the language to ban the un necessary breeding of monkeys, non domestic
cats, non domestic dogs, bears, wolverines and dangerous reptiles. Accredited
zoos could still breed as needed for conservation efforts, but this bill would
stop the backyard breeders who often claim to be saving the species when all
they are really doing are using the babies and then discarding them.
The bill is currently in bill drafting, but is slated to emerge on the first day of session, which is March 7. The FWC doesn’t want the bill to include any animals other than reptiles and claims that they will fix the problem administratively by next year. They point to a task force called the Captive Wild Animal Technical Assistance Group that they are relying on to provide suggestions for the next rule making session. The 11 member task force only consists of two members that are known to object to the notion of trading in dangerous exotic animals. These meetings are open to the public and any attendee will quickly see that the majority of this task force’s agenda is to protect their practices and not to provide any relief to the animals nor to the citizens of Florida.
The pressure put on our legislators to refrain from including other dangerous animals in the bill is mounting and that is why your voice is so important. The legislators are elected officials and they care about what the public thinks. Even if you are not a Florida resident, your opinion matters as a tourist. Roadside abuse of baby exotic animals is common in Florida and that creates a negative image for visitors. Businesses in Florida suffer when the public perception of their area is one of barbaric disregard for captive wildlife. Please contact these legislators today and let them know that you want the Python Bill to include protection for all of Florida’s exotic animals.
We make it simple with a few mouse clicks here: http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=8533566&type=CU
What the bill does:
Stops the breeding of exotic animals unless they are specifically called for by the Species Survival Plan for conservation purposes.
Re classes animals that are defined as dangerous and therefore not suitable as pets to be all non domestic cats, all non domestic dogs, bears, primates, wolverines, poisonous reptiles and pythons.
Limits transport of dangerous animals to being on the road only for the purpose of going to one permitted facility to another or to a licensed veterinarian.
Stops contact between the public and dangerous exotic animals.
Ends the buying, selling and trading in dangerous exotic animals outside of accredited zoos.
Defines a sanctuary as a place that does not breed, buy, sell or trade.
Most importantly, this bill allows cities and counties to enact rules that are more provide a higher level of safety for their citizens and better conditions for the animals.
What the bill does not do:
This bill would not cause animals to be displaced from their current homes. This bill would allow that they stay where they are, but they could not be bred or replaced.
This bill does not address the inadequate rules including cage sizes that provide two 700 pound tigers (who can measure 12 feet from nose to tail tip) only 24 feet x 10 feet of cage space. There are a lot of minimum standards in our current rules that are inhumane and these need to be addressed, but are not included in this bill.
This bill would not cost taxpayers more. In fact, it would lessen the burden on society over time as these animals die of old age and are not replaced.
Resources to check out:
View the story and why it is so important on the Today Show here: http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=0dc83b40-9715-4700-a950-3a70dabb6ebf&f
The Python Bill (this is a Word document and you may have to Right Click and Save As to your hard drive to open it)
See the opponents to the bill in this shocking undercover investigation
Slideshow depicting what life in a cage means to the animal
Incidents in Florida involving exotic animals that resulted in death, injury or escape
Incidents involving just exotic cats in captivity
Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission’s plan to deal with the issue
Your state’s position on captive wild animals
States that have passed bans on exotic cats since this bill was introduced
Help this bill become law, click here: http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=8533566&type=CU