UOT

OK, in the past, this blog has basically been a little fundy-pundy and I decided politics makes me mad and unhappy. So I very infrequently talk about it unless something big and huge is coming up.

Well, I have been hearing about H.R. 669 for about 3-4 weeks now and debating whether or not it’s a big enough deal to talk about. I just got 3 emails from Petsmart, Petco, and Drs Foster Smith about it – so if they’re worried about it, I am.

I sat down and I thought about H.R. 669 for a few minutes and how it would affect me. It would impact me dualfold: Number 1 – I have tropical freshwater fish and have for a few years. And I have bearded dragons. These are “non-native” species. Per this ridiculous bill, I would have to give them to the ASPCA, who would kill them (more or less). There is no verbage to include breeder stock into it as an exclusion. As well, it will take billions of dollars out of the economy. For instance – in the last 5 years I KNOW I have spent more than 2 grand on tank stuff for my fish and beardies.

Then, I thought about YOU, my readers. I know I have a parrot owner. That’s “non-native” – so say goodbye to Dusty. I know I have a turtle owner – say goodbye to Morris. I know that I have a schoolteacher who occasionally reads my blogs from links I have made on the beardie yahoo group I’m on. They have a school room beardie named Shemmy – see ya Shemmy. And I’m sure there are more lurkers out there who have animals that are “non-natives” that would screw things up. Just in case you don’t know what is non-native:

1. Most birds except finches.
2. Most freshwater fish except goldfish – which IRONICALLY are filthy and screw up watersheds all the time when Pakistani families release them into streams on some Islamic or Sikh holiday.
3. Most mammals excluding cats and dogs and feedstock (almost all of which were at one time non-native might I add).

Including but not limited to:

4. Gerbils
5. Chinchillas
6. Ferrets
7. Guinea Pigs
8. Domestic Pigs
9. Sugar Gliders

I could go on and on. Just go search H.R. 669 and you’ll see what I’m talking about. It’s stupid, unenforcable, and will make normal people keep ‘illegal’ pets. I go on record saying there is no way I will give up my beardie or fish with it being not my choosing. EVER.

So – what could owners do – PAY A FEE – to submit information about the pets we already have – have a bureaucrat decide whether or not it causes a plague in the whole entirety of the us – and when it comes back yes – because that is true of almost any pet in the entirety of the U.S. – surrender our pets.

Here is the final rub – guess where this bill comes from – Someone in GUAM! Guam – a territory not a state.

Here is Guam:

Da da da da daaaah... It's Guam.

It’s almost 6000 miles from the US separated by almost the entirety of the Pacific Ocean from US shores in California. They have serious problems with fish and lizard infestations there. I get it. But THIS BILL needs to be for Guam. Not the continental US. Which is seen on the top left HERE (just in case you’re geography-tarded):

World Relief Map - we're on the top left...

Wanna help me stop this bill? Go HERE. Please. If you won’t do it for me, do it for the millions of school kids (and adults for that matter) who will lose their pets because of a really crappy bill.