Washington State House Bill 1151
<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> It is the intent of the state of
Washington to protect the public against health and safety risks that
dangerous wild animals pose to the community and to protect the welfare
of the individual animals held in private possession. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
There is a grandfather clause.
Here is a partial list of animals propsed to be banned and listed as "Dangerous Animals":
Water Monitors, Croc Monitors
Green Iguanas, Rock Iguanas
ANY boid that has the
potential to exceed 8 feet
Boomslangs, African Twig Snakes, Kelback Snakes
ALL Elapids, vipers and crocadilians
<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> Every dangerous wild animal must be
implanted with a microchip, at the expense of the possessor </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>Every dangerous wild animal must be
spayed or neutered, at the expense of the possessor </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> A possessor of a dangerous wild
animal shall maintain liability insurance coverage in an amount of not
less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
There is also a personal possesion permit needed to be grandfathered in, but I did find where it mentions NEW owners.
This could turn into a major blow to the herp community. I urge everyone to send letters and emails to the Washington State Legislature. Even though this may not be in your state, your state might be next and we all need to look out for the community as a whole.
I will be the first to admit that I favor a permit system for venomous. But I also believe that it needs to be attainable (not the case in GA). We need to get involved and offer alternatives, we cannot leave it up to politicians who know nothing of herps and other animals except what they see on the news and what the API, HSUS and PETA tell them. If they are worried about dangerous animals, let show them statistics on dogs and horses killing humans.
If you do respond to them, be civil, to the point, and logical. It is the only way for us to be taken seriously.
Full view of bill is located here : .
House Bill 1151
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We all have a maggot in our past that threatens to eat our future
