Pet Owners Upset By Bill To Ban Exotic, Invasive Species

WASHINGTON, DC (USA TODAY)--Pythons and lizards and tree snakes--oh, my! But hamsters, macaws and the family guinea pig?

A bill that would prohibit importing certain exotic species has sparked outrage among pet owners who fear the legislation could turn them into criminals. But the bill's supporters, including animal rights and conservation groups, say concerns over the measure have been blown out of proportion.

Under the "Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act," species deemed invasive by federal wildlife biologists would be barred from entering the country.

Currently, a species can be placed on a federal "injurious list" if it has caused widespread damage to the environment, human health or the economy. But that process often takes three to four years.

"I think the Burmese python may be the poster child for this bill," said Beth Preiss, director of the exotic pets campaign for The Humane Society of the United States.

Burmese pythons are constrictor snakes that lack natural predators. Once considered trendy pets, many were released by their owners into the wild and now infest the Florida Everglades. They also are an increasing problem in the Florida Keys, where they're eating their way through the area's endangered animals.

The nonnative wildlife bill could prevent another python situation, said co-sponsor Rep. Ron Klein, a Democrat from Boca Raton, Fla.

"We're spending billions of dollars to restore the Everglades ... only to spend more on dealing with this python problem," he said. "Unfortunately, what people have done from time to time is just turn certain pets out into the wild. And in the wild, as a nonnative species, they tend to grow very large and really tilt the scale against more native species."

Opposition to the bill has been most vocal in the pet trade. Pet owners, sellers and distributors are focused on several specific provisions. That includes one that says domesticated animals would be exempt from the importation ban, then lists as domesticated animals only dogs, cats, goldfish, chickens and about a dozen other species.

The bill also would prohibit the breeding, sale and interstate transport of exotic wildlife species.

Richard Metz of Cape Coral, Fla., recently bought two birds - an umbrella cockatoo and a blue and gold macaw. He said the birds can live up to 80 years. Metz is 40. He interprets the bill as barring his daughter from keeping the birds after he and his wife pass away.

"We won't be able to transfer them to her legally," he said. "They would have to be put down."
Christina McGrath, a sales associate at Pet Kingdom in nearby Fort Myers, Fla., said she fears the bill would affect nearly every animal the store sells.

"A lot of our suppliers are getting nervous about it, because it would put them out of business and potentially damage a lot of pet stores, especially a lot of the privately owned ones," she said.

Preiss, of the Humane Society, said most of those concerns are reactions to the bill's vague wording.

"All this talk about, 'Someone is going to take my gerbil' is really hyped up," she said. "What happened is, people didn't see their animals listed there (under the exemptions), so they got nervous because people started getting the word out that the government was going to take their pet away. None of that is true."

Preiss said she and a number of animal welfare and conservation groups supporting the bill would like to see rules clarified and other changes to calm pet owners.

During a hearing on the bill Thursday, several lawmakers on a House Natural Resources subcommittee said they've received hundreds of calls, emails and letters about the bill.

Rep. Lois Capps, a California Democrat, tried to tamp down the hype.

"Does this legislation take away pets that people currently own?" she asked Gary Frazer of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He said it would not.

"Will this legislation target only those species that are nonnative and invasive?" she asked.

"Yes," said Frazer. He said the bill probably would exempt nearly every animal now sold or traded.

The panel's chairwoman and bill's primary sponsor, Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, stressed repeatedly that her bill is a work in progress.

"We recognize it is by no means perfect," she said, promising to make changes. "This hearing should be seen as a starting point for a very important discussion."