Ok all this HR669 BS has me thinking and ive got an idea here. I know no congress will ever even hear this but IMO any animal should be legal to own with a permit. Fish and game should sit down with representatives from the pet trade and experts in a given field (ie herps, fish, birds, ect) and come up with a class system for every species of animal depending on the rarity of the animal, availability, affect on the native population if released in the state where the animal will be housed, and possible endangerment to nearby humans.
From there there will be six classes.
Class1: native species that are not threatening to humans and nonnative species: no permit required examples: mollies, parakeet, hamster
class 2: nonnative species and native species that could harm the enviornment: permit required after taking a test on the animal's classification (herp care, bird care, etc) examples: snakehead, ball python, piranha
class 3: native and nonnative species that are a rarity in the wild and require special knowledge: permit required after taking test on the animal's classification and a home inspection examples: macaws, any kind of monkey, asian arowana
class 4: any native and nonnative species that is a threat to nearby humans: permit required after taking a course on safety and proper care and a test must be passed examples: venemous snakes, large predatory mamals, crocodilians
class 5: any nonnative or native species which is a direct threat to human safety and the local enviornment: Crocodilians in florida, piranha in florida
class 6: extremely rare native and nonnative species that is a direct threat to the local enviornment and humans: permit required after completing a course on safety, a course about the animal, a home inspection, and a test examples: exotic cat in the south, a large exotic snake in the south
Now i some of you may say im just some stupid teenager who has no idea what he's talking about but it seems to me that it would...
1. employ people (course teachers, home inspectors, etc.)
2. create a greater knowledge of the animal to the buyer
3. keep stupid people from buying an animal they can't handle
4. allow us to be happy and keep our pets
say what you want but i think this would greatly reduce the number of animals released in non native areas and keep the public safe.
From there there will be six classes.
Class1: native species that are not threatening to humans and nonnative species: no permit required examples: mollies, parakeet, hamster
class 2: nonnative species and native species that could harm the enviornment: permit required after taking a test on the animal's classification (herp care, bird care, etc) examples: snakehead, ball python, piranha
class 3: native and nonnative species that are a rarity in the wild and require special knowledge: permit required after taking test on the animal's classification and a home inspection examples: macaws, any kind of monkey, asian arowana
class 4: any native and nonnative species that is a threat to nearby humans: permit required after taking a course on safety and proper care and a test must be passed examples: venemous snakes, large predatory mamals, crocodilians
class 5: any nonnative or native species which is a direct threat to human safety and the local enviornment: Crocodilians in florida, piranha in florida
class 6: extremely rare native and nonnative species that is a direct threat to the local enviornment and humans: permit required after completing a course on safety, a course about the animal, a home inspection, and a test examples: exotic cat in the south, a large exotic snake in the south
Now i some of you may say im just some stupid teenager who has no idea what he's talking about but it seems to me that it would...
1. employ people (course teachers, home inspectors, etc.)
2. create a greater knowledge of the animal to the buyer
3. keep stupid people from buying an animal they can't handle
4. allow us to be happy and keep our pets
say what you want but i think this would greatly reduce the number of animals released in non native areas and keep the public safe.