Exotic-animal owners, sellers fear for future

These exotic animals belong in own country or a zoo. South Florida is only now starting to deal with the boa constrictors and pythons let loose by their loving owners. The federal government say it will take a lot of money (taxes) to control the problem in South Florida.

Shoot them all.

These creepy aliens need to be deported. No one want them sponging off the government.

They are God's creatures, just like your dog or cat. If they are taken care of, keep the ######## government out of it!! I raise Bearded Dragons, Toads, and snakes. I can do what I want, so tell them to #### off.

Throw the baby out with the bath water. Typical government. Obviously no one should own dangerous or endangered exotic pets. Many of these are also abused and neglected. Exotic and dangerous mammals should be banned also. However,maybe a better solution would be hefty licensing and registration fees for these owners.

Pets = dogs, cats, fish and parakeets. NOT snakes and lizards.

Get a grip, freaks. And then read what is happening to the ecosystem in the Florida Everglades as a direct result of the idiots you sell these animals to.

Personally, I am a huge animal lover. But I do think that wild animals belong in the wild.

I believe that the only way anyone should be allowed to own an exotic or wild species of animal is if they have a permit to do so. In order to obtain said permit, owner must prove that they have extensive knowledge of how to care for the animal(s), an adequate facility to do so, an insurance policy to protect against any harm that may come from the actions of the animal and periodic inspections of the animal(s) and habitat. Endangered and dangerous species would be exempt from ownership. This would be quite expensive, thereby eliminating a lot of the problems that now exist.

You see people that can't even feed their kids buying snakes etc. But they also buy beer and cigarettes and haven't got a decent place to live in. The guy in Pike County that had teh two lions taht got out lives in a single wide falling down trailer and gets welfare and ssi.
There is not reason to own these "exotics" go to the zoo once or twice a year to see them.

i am a reformed exotic animal owner and also remember when carnivals gave away ducklings as prizes for games..they rnt allowed to do that anymore, so why r people still allowed to buy wild animals only to realize they grow and become wild and for the majority too hard to handle..

they do it for status or merely because they want it not thinking of the care, feeding, habitat, or consequences of wonership..we cant even get people to take care of their domesticated animals.

and keeping a snake or bear in artificial surroundings teaches the absolute wrong thing about nature.

I didn't know the USA was a nanny State like the UK. Soon be banning your guns, no doubt

Micro chip the critters down load owner info and if the critter is found unattended then make the first fine extreme. Response to Electric Pig same for guns I think would be a great Idea to ban all except for police and military.

Bodie wrote:

You see people that can't even feed their kids buying snakes etc. But they also buy beer and cigarettes and haven't got a decent place to live in. The guy in Pike County that had teh two lions taht got out lives in a single wide falling down trailer and gets welfare and ssi.
There is not reason to own these "exotics" go to the zoo once or twice a year to see them.

Like teen welfare moms, these folks get exotics as way of escaping their misery and cluelessness and, for a moment, gives them something in their life that makes them feel in control.

I keep and breed pythons. These anaimals dont pose a threat to any wildlife in Ohio. And for each one you may see on the news there are thousands of us that are responsible owners that care and house these animals properly. Alot of uneducated people seem to have strong negative opinions on this which will effect thousands of Ohio jobs and families. If we let them take our snakes than it wont be long before what some consider pets like cats and dogs who are abused and abandoned daily to be striped away as well.

"These anaimals dont pose a threat to any wildlife in Ohio."

what a short sighted, self serving unverifiable statement.

Exotic species of reptiles can not possibly survive or reproduce in the wilds of Ohio. There is much proven, scientific evidence to verify that fact:

http://usark.org/uploads/Pyron%20et%20al%2020...

http://usark.org/uploads/ComeOutOfCold_BCHS.p...

http://usark.org/uploads/Cold%20pythons%20%28...

Who needs the stupid animals. Most are from another country, people grow tired of them and release them or resell them to someone that doesn't know how to take care of them. Many times they are released into our streams and rivers causing havoc to the environment. Secondly, people often get injured requiring medical treatment for bite or sting. Who needs them. Good Job Ted!!!!

Yeah ban everything but some people will just breed them illegally within their homes

Why not get into the 21st century and make domsetic cat owners buy tags like dog owners have to ? Ohio has THOUSANDS of feral cats plus thousands of more so called "pet" cats that people let roam free ..... Best solution is a well placed .22 slug.... Cheap that cat won't crap in your flower bed again or tear your window screens
or walk on your new car.
Buy a "brick" of .22's and get to work on some much needed animla control.

Most of the comments so far are pretty ignorant. Some serious intellectual sloth by some mighty lazy people, to willingly delegate their thinking, along with their rights and personal freedoms, to "Authority".
jsc

jscrick wrote:

Most of the comments so far are pretty ignorant. Some serious intellectual sloth by some mighty lazy people, to willingly delegate their thinking, along with their rights and personal freedoms, to "Authority".
jsc

Completely agree. And the "Authority" is just as ignorant. Politics and business as usual, though. Continue on backwards, Ohio!

The fact of whether you like these animals or not shouldn't be the issue here. The fact that Gov. Strickland is imposing more laws which 1) Creates more government and interference in our private lives and 2) Creates yet more of an anti-business environment in this state than there already is should be the true issues here.

I'm not the most versed and well educated person when it comes to the raising and the sale of animals such as this, but I think it's safe to say that these animals are "home bred" and not taken from the wild. Just as your cats and dogs. These animals aren't extinct and they're not endangered. And as far as letting animals loose into the wild, maybe we should have tougher laws prohibiting the release of domesticated animals into the wild instead of banning them all together. How many of you have nasty stray cats running around your homes b/c someone wasn't responsible? The difference is, a stray cat will survive Ohio's winters and these reptiles will not. So which animal is more harmful to the natural environment of Ohio now?

I always get riled up when I see government interfering with the way American's live. Remember what country you come from. This is the land of the free and entrepreneurs. Not the land of laws and government interference. Whether your Democrat, Republican, or Independent, we all should put that aside and vote for people who favor less government interference and mingling in our lives. Remember this during Strickland's re-election this fall. He certainly hasn't created any less government in Ohioans' lives!