If you are not aware of S373 then please go visit 's journal right now. Your right's as a pet owner could be at stake.

Ahem, I shall now assume rant mode. You have been warned.

*Sigh*, and this follows right on the heels of HR669. I'm getting sick and tired of this. I used to own an iguana (and probably will again once the my daughter gets to be older) I haven't owned a snake yet but pall python is one of the species I'm interested in getting some time in the future. I do believe that international pet trade needs to be more restricted if not out right abolished because of the horrible conditions that most of these animals are subjected to in the farms they're gathered from and how they're shipped to our stores and the fact that the cheap price of them makes them "throw away" pets (in other words mommy and daddy toss Sid the Snake when little Timmy looses interest or when unexpected vet bills are too high).

That, however should not mean that we loose our rights as pet owners to keep these wonderful animals. Further, too many local businesses would not be able to recover, especially when the ecomonimy is as shaky as it is right now.

I'm a mature responsible pet owner who doesn't endanger my pet or our native wildlife by letting my non-native reptile go free into the wild. I know Florida has problems, but the people proposing this legislation have no right to impede on mine. Yes, something needs to change but this is the wrong way to do it.

[link] has some great info on contacting the correct deparments of legislaton to voice your opposition to this. Even if you don't own or intend on owning one of the species put forward for the ban, please join us in protesting this as it affects all pet owners. If this bill passes, then other animals will be up for targeting next so it's vastly important that we make a stand now.

Thanks for your patience, rant mode has been deactivated.