FACA is pushing for more regulations here in FLA - experts Forum at VenomousReptiles.org

FACA is pushing for more regulations here in FLA	Reply
by SimplySnakes on February 1, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
Below is a copy of a current FACA proposal given to Fl Game and Fish Comm, once again, pushing for the banning of anything they do not feel people should be able to own. The issue about the permit fees not being enough is real BS. My wife and I currently pay FWC 250.00 a year for three permits. I wonder what they think would be appropriate? $1000.00? All you Fla permit holders need to pay attention to this....very serious. Florida Animal Control Association Position Florida’s Dangerous Captive Wildlife Regulations/Statutes January 25, 2007 FWC Rulemaking Issues FACA has several additional recommendations that should be adopted by the FWC to better protect the publics’ safety and health with respect to Dangerous Captive Wildlife. Our recommendations are as follows: Appropriate Neighborhoods: Dangerous Captive Wildlife (Class I & Class II Wildlife, all venomous reptiles, and Reptiles of Concern) should only be housed in appropriate areas, not in our residential neighborhoods. FWC has proposed that Class I wildlife should not be housed in residential neighborhoods. FACA strongly supports this rulemaking change; however this proposal should be extended to include all Dangerous Captive Wildlife. Additionally, all Dangerous Captive Wildlife should be kept a safe distance away from facilities housing vulnerable children and adults. These include: day care centers; schools; nursing homes; and other similar facilities. Grandfathered Permittees: Grandfathered permittees should not be allowed to restock animals or transfer their permits to others. Transferring a grandfathered permit allows new permittees to have grandfathered status, even though they did not hold a permit at the time of grandfathering. The goal should be to reduce the number of grandfathered permittees until they are eliminated entirely. Allowing grandfathered permittees to restock negates this goal. Captive Wildlife Escape Report: FWC has recommended immediate reporting upon learning of an animal’s escape. FACA strongly supports this rulemaking change and will work with FWC to ensure the proper process is put into place so that local governments are notified by FWC of any escapes. Signage: FWC rules should require signage to warn first responders, utility workers, and animal control where Dangerous Captive Wildlife are being kept. It is also important for neighbors to know where Dangerous Captive Wildlife are being kept. Should an animal escape, neighbors are much less likely to be alert if they are unaware of the animal’s presence. While those who own Dangerous Captive Wildlife maintain that outside signage makes them vulnerable to complaints from neighbors, and may provide a “shopping list” for thieves, the health and safety of neighborhood residents should take precedence. FWC rules should also require signage to be posted on vehicles transporting Dangerous Captive Wildlife. This could become very important should such a vehicle be involved in an accident. The safety of first responders should be the utmost concern here. Posting of Dangerous Captive Wildlife Location: FWC should post the location of Dangerous Captive Wildlife on its website. This information is already a matter of public record despite the concern expressed by permittees that thieves could use this information. The overriding issue is the health and safety of neighborhood residents. Floridians have a right to know where dangerous animals are being kept. Microchipping: We understand that FWC may consider requiring microchipping of some Dangerous Captive Wildlife. FACA strongly supports this rulemaking change. However, this proposal should be extended to include all Dangerous Captive Wildlife. Disaster Preparedness Plans: FWC has recommended requiring disaster preparedness plans for Dangerous Captive Wildlife, and requiring that those plans be updated annually. FACA strongly supports this rulemaking change, and will work with FWC to ensure the proper process is put into place so that local government emergency operations centers (EOCs) receive this information in a timely manner. Nuisance Captive Wildlife: The permitting of captive wildlife should take into consideration its impact upon the quality of life for adjacent property owners. The current FWC permitting process doesn't permit adjacent property owners any voice in the locating of permitted wildlife near their property nor does it offer recourse for resolution of a loss of reasonable enjoyment and use of their property in the case of nuisances. Captive wildlife may impact property values, create nuisance situations, and result in the loss of a reasonable perception of safety for family and self. Permitting of wildlife can create an infringement upon the established property uses inconsistent with the accepted uses without benefit of a variance hearing. As the FWC has accepted responsibility through its exclusive jurisdiction over the permitting and regulation of all wildlife in our state, it is only reasonable to expect that they address the problems it creates for adjacent property owners and offer resolutions. FWC rules do not address Captive Wildlife that may be creating a nuisance to people near the permitted captive wildlife facility. FACA recommends that FWC incorporate a definition for such nuisances and develop appropriate penalties for nuisances that are not abated, to include non-renewal of captive wildlife permits. Such provision should apply to all captive wildlife regulated and permitted by the FWC including Class III wildlife. Legislative Issues Permit and License Fees: FACA supports legislation to enhance Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) permit and license fees for Dangerous Captive Wildlife to levels that will ensure sufficient resources to effectively enforce all applicable public safety and health-related captive wildlife regulations. FACA understands concerns that high administrative costs may drive regulated activity “underground.” However, there is currently no upfront administrative fee required for processing permits and licenses. Also, permit and license fees are quite low. Permittees should be required to pay for the workload they add to FWC. Fines: FACA also supports legislation requiring fines collected as a result of FWC Dangerous Captive Wildlife enforcement actions to be used to fund FWC public safety enforcement resources. Insurance/Bonds: Finally, FACA supports legislation to require sufficient liability insurance or bonds in the event that Dangerous Captive Wildlife injures or kills a person or damages property. Speak out and send a letter to them, better yet call the hell out of them and complain. Paul

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by kacz on February 1, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
What strikes me is the wording in the heart of their position. “Captive wildlife may impact property values, create nuisance situations, and result in the loss of a reasonable perception of safety for family and self. Permitting of wildlife can create an infringement upon the established property uses inconsistent with the accepted uses without benefit of a variance.” The specific words are “can” and “may”. By not using the words “will” or “does” they are indicating that their position is not based on real causation or precedent. It is completely hypothetical and without merit. Their position does not save the neighborhood from real danger. Instead their proposal rescinds the rights of law-abiding citizens engaged in a lawful activity. Paul M. Kaczmarczik

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by GREGLONGHURST on February 2, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
When these chicken spit people start actually removing venomous snakes from yards & homes, FWCC ought to perhaps give them a listen. At the present time, & in years past, they do not. The average citizen in Palm Beach County..who generally has recently arrived from NJ, sees his or her first snake that is not in a zoo, freaks, calls the police, & the police either call me or give freaked citizen my phone number. 85% of these calls arrive after midnight. Animal Control Officers do not handle snake calls in this county. I do not get paid for doing their job. Do I sound irritated? ~~Greg~~

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by FLVenom911 on February 2, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
The person who is the on board of FACA is Bill Armstrong, who is in turn a puppet of Carole Baskin from "Big Cat Rescue". He is a member of the CWTAG. All of the usless information he spews is direct from Carole who is an animal rights nut job. She has tried to stir up trouble this past year with FWC, but they seem to tune her right out (as most people with common sense would) I wouldn't worry so much about this, as this is her last ditch effort to get something done for the HSUS and API. Whatever new regulations they have proposed, get voted on next week.

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by kacz on February 2, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
Joe, here is some corroborating evidence supporting your opinion. They have stated their position pertaining to dangerous animals on their website. They divide the topic into two sections, 1) Dangerous Dogs, and: “2) Other Dangerous Animals There are other animals that may pose a serious public safety risk, and should be defined and dealt with by local ordinance.” Their proposal is statewide in scope and contradicted by their official position! I find it hard to believe that any organization could be that ignorant of their mission unless it was a matter of poorly conceived political expediency. Paul M. Kaczmarczik P.S. I am lost in your use of acronyms. It must be the difference of professions!

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by LarryDFishel on February 2, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
FACA=Florida Animal Control Association http://floridaanimalcontrol.org/ CWTAG=Captive Wildlife Technial Assistance Group http://www.myfwc.com/captive/captivewildlifeTag.html FWC=FWCC=Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission http://www.myfwc.com HSUS=Human Society of the United States http://hsus.org/ API=Animal Protection Institute http://www.api4animals.org/

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by LarryDFishel on February 2, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
So much for my spelling... CWTAG=Captive Wildlife Technical Assistance Group http://www.myfwc.com/captive/captivewildlifeTag.html HSUS=Humane Society of the United States http://hsus.org/

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by SimplySnakes on February 3, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
Hey Larry, Nice to have met you at the Kissimee meeting on the 23rd. You heard Carole Baskin stand up and begin her BS speech about banning all animals in captivity. She has over 400 large cats, but feels no one should own them. She also feels that no wildlife should be owned by the public. Remeber the shouting match at the beginning of the meeting? She started it. Chaos. Joe: She is a nut job yes, but even nut jobs have voices, and sometimes they are appeased. I fight it all the way until the end. We should not lay down at any point, unless we are giving up. Joe, keep us posted if you hear anything else. Thanks, Paul

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by FLVenom911 on February 3, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
I sure will Paul. A friend of mine did some research and found that FACA website has been only up for a year, kind of odd huh? Especially since these people have been pushing all kinds of useless recommendations within this past year.

RE: FACA is pushing for more regulations here in F	Reply
by LarryDFishel on February 4, 2007	Mail this to a friend!
It was nice talking with you too Paul. Joe, here's some more entertaining info if no one else has noticed yet: As far as I can tell, the address FACA gives on their web site appears to be rented office space in a building in Hillsborough County, about 10 miles from Bill Armstrong's office...

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