Imagine this…Dogs on the Lacey Act is indeed a fictional story, the problem is for just how long is this to be a fictional tale.
You are a dog lover. You have dogs now, and have always had dogs growing up since before you can remember. Being around dogs your whole life has taught you a great appreciation for all living things. You can’t imagine what life would be like without dogs and you raise your children with the same values. Sure, not everybody shares your sentiment about dogs, but you’re always willing to share your love, experiences, and knowledge about dogs to those willing to listen, you know how much they’re able to enrich people’s lives.
Now imagine this…
You have a great job and your job needs to send you to another state with a substantial pay raise and to somewhere you always wanted to go, a real dream come true. You spend the next couple months preparing, selling your home and non-essential items, finding a new house at the new location, and packing up your personal belongings. Moving day is here, finally! You, along with your family, couldn’t be more excited as you’re all loaded up in your moving truck and on your way to the next chapter of your lives. A couple of hours into your journey, as you’re getting ready to leave the state, you drive up to a check point into the next state, something you have done a dozen times before. Only this time, instead of waving you though with a smile, they ask you to pull to the side.
“No big deal, you tell yourself. Probably just got picked for a routine follow-up because of the moving truck.”
The officer approaches your window and asks where you’re headed. With excitement you tell him where you’re moving to. He asks,
“Have you ever heard of the Lacey Act?”
You think back to what you learned in school or may have heard in the news, but unable to recall, you reply curiously,
“No?” So the officer proceeds to explain it to you. You’re not really sure why he’s telling you about this. You just want to get on with your journey but you know you have no choice but to indulge him. Then, your heart sinks as he informs you that, because of this obscure federal law, you’re not allowed to take your dogs with you out of the state. He proceeds to inform you, to do so is a violation of the Lacey Act punishable up to $100,000 in fines and up to 5 years in prison! You think maybe you’re on some hidden camera show because it sounds so ridiculous, so you laugh and ask the officer where the cameras are, but you quickly realize by the stern look on his face, this is no joke.
You feel sick to your stomach and your head is spinning as your world comes crashing down around you. Do you give up your precious pets that you have loved, cared for and nurtured for 10+ years? That your children have grown up with, their best friends that they love so deeply? How would you explain this to your children that are sitting in the seats behind you in blissful ignorance with your dogs peacefully resting in their laps? Where would they even go with so many homeless pets already seeking homes? What other choice do you have besides to turn around and go back and try to figure out how to find a new place to live and risk losing your dream promotion and even your job? You ask the officer for a moment to figure things out. You get on your smart phone and start doing some research, and this is what you find.
Lacey Act
The Lacey Act is a United States Law that originally related to the illegal trade in wildlife. Over the previous years, many amendments were made including a ruling to include dogs as an invasive species. This was passed because 20 years ago, a natural disaster destroyed a shelter in South Florida and all the dogs escaped and reverted back to their feral state to survive, where they have been breeding and living ever since. You recall hearing about this because it has been all over the media, you just never thought much of it because it is happening so far away. Even though this is a relatively minor problem only isolated to that small part of Florida, the federal government, under pressure from animal rights groups, ruled to list them as invasive under the Lacey Act therefore, as part of the Act, prohibiting people from taking them across any state lines anywhere in the entire United States regardless of circumstances.
What would you do if faced with this gut wrenching, life altering decision?
This sounds like a tale of fiction, an elaborate story conceived in a late night, sleep deprived stupor. Unfortunately, It is not. It’s 99% true and accurate. The only thing that needs to be changed is ‘Dog’ to ‘Burmese Python’, or any of the 9 species of snakes they have, or are considering listing on the Lacey Act. Fortunately for dog owners, they’re not faced with such a burden…at this time. But owners of many species of snakes are faced with this unbelievable reality.
Now I know what you are thinking…a dog is much different from a python. But is it really? While boas and pythons may not be readily accepted by the mainstream public as pets, there are tens of thousands of people in the United States who have as deep of a loving and caring bond with their snakes as you would your dogs. It may appear strange to many, however is it not their individual right to choose what animal to care for, the same as it is your right to choose what breed of dog you like the most?
I personally have 2 snakes that I have kept for over 20 years, since they were babies. My son, step daughter and nieces have all grown up with them. They are known and loved by many of my friends, family and thousands of children that have met them at educational presentations over the years. They have been there with me, my anchors, through all of life’s turbulent changes. Now why should I be forced to choose between them and moving on with my life outside of this state? Why should I be forced to stay in this state, or to give them up if I were ever to leave this state? Because of a trivial problem happening in one diminutive area of one state 3000 miles away? It’s ludicrous!
Even worse, is how this affects our countries servicemen. Snakes make great pets for them as they require minimal care while they are away on deployment. But with service, comes the constant need to move from location to location. These people can give their lives to preserve freedom, yet can’t even have their own freedom to bring certain pets with them. It is truly a travesty of the liberty they are fighting for.
While I don’t expect everyone to share the same love and devotion I have for these animals, I hope you can at least understand and respect my right to choose my passion, the freedom to my own personal pursuit of happiness. Please support us in fighting this sort of over-reaching government tyranny. Please stand by us and help protect our American Liberty! Today it is snakes; tomorrow it could be your dogs.
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” ~ Thomas Jefferson
Here is a list of organizations out there fighting for the rights of animal owners. Please join and support them!
USARK is spearheading the campaign against this horrifying rule. Contact this group for information on how best to help in combating it.
http://USARK.org ; https://www.facebook.com/UnitedStatesAssociationOfReptileKeepers
The Cavalry Group
http://thecavalrygroup.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cavalry-Group/139518896181615
Animal Owner Worker
; https://www.facebook.com/animalownerworker
Protect the Harvest
http://protecttheharvest.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/ProtectTheHarvest
John Potash; Author of this piece.