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IMPORTANT: Florida Captive Wildlife Meeting
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by LarryDFishel on October 17, 2005
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I wanted to update everyone on the strategy meeting this weekend in preparation for the meeting of the Captive Wildlife Technical Assistance Group planned for 10/20-21/2005.
http://www.myfwc.com/captive/captivewildlifeTag.html
This may be a bit sketchy and may not be accurate on everything (sue me). I really should have taken serious notes.
The first important thing coming from those who have been directly involved is that the situation sounds much more serious than I had gathered from what little I had heard before.
At least one person who has gotten onto the group is gunning for us with both barrels. I believe it is the sherrif of the county where a recent black mamba bite occurred (again, I should have taken notes). Fish and Wildlife does not have the authority to ban venomous reptiles outright, so he is pushing for things like stricter controls on "fast moving elapids" and not approving facilites within 8000 feet (yes, that's about a mile and a half) of schools, hospitals and several other types of facilites.
There is also a representative of the HSUS on the board (this I already knew). Check them out if you're not familiar with them (and read carefully).
http://www.hsus.org
Fish and Wildlife understands that the media has blown things out of proportion, the problem is only one of perception and they are not looking to make more work for themselves by adding new regulations. But the feeling of those involved who spoke at this meeting is that if F&W doesn't "do something" the legislature will feel compelled to "do something" and THEY do have the power to enact a ban. Everyone in attendance agreed (or at least did not object) to reccomending the folloing additions to the regulations so F&W has something to show.
1) Require keepers to maintain a bite protocol
2) Require keepers to submit a disaster plan for dealing with things like hurricanes
We also discussed the idea of forming a "review group" (I don't remember the language used), a group of experienced, known keepers who could not only perform inspections in place of F&W but would be knowledgable enough to review protocols and handling techniques with keepers. I'm pobably not explaining this well, but basically the idea would be:
1) Show the legistature and the public that we are proactively working to impove safety
2) Take some of the load off of F&W which helps get them on board
3) Ensures that if we have issues the first person we deal with will be someone sympathetic who has the knowkledge to reccommend the right solution, and it only goes to F&W if it's not corrected
I went ahead and brought up my idea of restructuring the requirement for hours (in a thread below). Several objects were were raised:
1) (Paraphrasing) Many F&W officers wouldn't know a coral cobra from a forest cobra let lone what to do with a mojave/speckled cross so it would be very difficult to enforce and they won't be lining up to learn.
2) Dividing species into categories would make it just that much easier for our opponents to pick off the top level and work their way down. (Can anyone say "assault weapon"?)
3) In the current atmosphere we don't have a chance of getting such a big change in out favor.
Strategically, I disagree with 3, but 1 and 2 make a lot of sense.
The meeting was called/run by Eugene Bessette, who is a venomous keeper/breeder and is on the board pulling for us.
Captain Al Cruz of the Miami-Dade antivenom unit was at the this meeting and Lieutenant Ernie Jillson, also of the antivenom unit, will be speaking at the tech group meeting. Captain Cruz is not a keeper but he's a good guy and supports us. Lt. Jillson and the other members of the unit are all keepers.
http://www.venom1.com
The group meeting will be at the Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration, 10/20-21/2005 at 9:00. They are not accepting public comment at the meeting but it is open to the public and I am told that anyone who comes will be allowed to introduce themselves and (I guess) at least say whether or not they support further regulation. The more people we can get there the better. If you come, please make yourself presentable (that's going to be tough for me) and be civil. We want to show them that we're not all croc hunter wannabes and freaks. Note: I have nothings against freaks, just think about leaving your flag at home for the good of the cause.
http://www.radisson.com/hoteldirectory/hotelbio.jsp?hotelCode=FLKISSIM&hotelBrandCode=RAD&key=hoteldirectory.info.&origin=Hotel%20Directory&backURI=http:%2F%2Fwww.radisson.com%2Freservation%2FhotelPreference.do%3FlocationUni%3D1539%26dno%3D10170510180510
I'll add to this if I remember anything significant that I left out (I have to get to work).
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RE: IMPORTANT: Florida Captive Wildlife Meeting
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by FLVenom911 on October 17, 2005
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The man who Larry stated that is trying to "gun us down" is Hillsborough county's dog and cat catcher(Animal control) officer Bill Armstrong. Billy seems to have a problem with "fast moving elapids". MsTT, if your reading this, maybe you can give us all a hand down here and enlighten Mr. Armstrong on your work with Mambas and their behavior.
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RE: IMPORTANT: Florida Captive Wildlife Meeting
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by FLVenom911 on October 17, 2005
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One more note. The Black Mamba bite occured in his county in Aug. 2003. He has been quoted as even saying the snake was loose after the incident. This is quite amusing since FWC investigators responded to the scene and the person who was bitten did not have ANY violations what so ever. Billy says he wants to make Hillsborough county the safest in FL......Well it will be one you take the rapist, child molesters, druggies, and murderers out.
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RE: IMPORTANT: Florida Captive Wildlife Meeting
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by FLVenom911 on October 17, 2005
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Al Cruz also stated that since Venom 1 was created, they have treated around 800 bites and there has not been one fatality when they have been called upon. Also only 3-5% of the bites are from licensed keepers every year. The rest are from fishermen who step on a cottonmouth, or a kid who picks up a Pigmy, ect. All of the members who were at the meeting Saturday agreed on keeping the 1000 hrs, without any changes on moving snakes to sub catagories or different levels. Like alot of us stated, why fix something that is not broken. I hope to see every FL hotherper at the meeting Thursday. I would like to thank George Van Horn and his wife for hosting us and providing all the herpers with such delicious food and to Al for coming and showing his support for us. This is a fight we WILL win.
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RE: IMPORTANT: Florida Captive Wildlife Meeting
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by Dadee on October 18, 2005
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Joe,
All I have to say is, Thank GOD your buddy was turned around to do that (in your pic) :-)
Ha ha ha.
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RE: IMPORTANT: Florida Captive Wildlife Meeting
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by FLVenom911 on October 18, 2005
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hahha man!! I didnt even realize that. Thanks for pointing that out, that is indeed a good laugh.
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CORRECTIONS
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by LarryDFishel on October 18, 2005
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>>At least one person who has gotten onto the group is gunning for us ...I believe it is the sherrif of the county...and not approving facilites within 8000 feet...of schools...
He's Animal Control, not Sherrif, and it was A thousand feet not EIGHT thousand feet (maybe I need to clean my ears)
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