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What is this about Ricky???
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by SimplySnakes on May 9, 2007
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What the article reads on the home page here is that Ricky Duckworth and Bradley Hudson were charged with illegal posession of non native venomous! Breeding them in a warehouse? Has anyone else read the article?
I am shocked, I am unaware of Alabama's laws. What happens to the animals? Euthanasia?
Paul
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by earthguy on May 9, 2007
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According to the article the animals were put into the care of a liscenced professional.
My question is this: if your state has a program in place for you to LEGALLY keep the animals (and that's certainly the way the article reads)why would you NOT get the permit? We'll have to ask Ricky when (and if) he gets back.
Also, from a tort standpoint, has anybody purchased a snake from either of these two fellas? I wonder what your responsibility is to know the laws of the area from which you buy a snake.
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by SwampY on May 9, 2007
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Not specifically about this situation, but...
In the past, I've had a little bird tell me that USFWS agents as well as GADNR DO surf our forums and classifieds and they DO pay attention.
I don't know if anything posted on here led to that particular incident, but it very well could have. Something to think about anyway. Keep it legal, guys :-)
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by ChuckHurd on May 9, 2007
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here is a copy of the news paper write up.
BIRMINGHAM -- Two Limestone County men have been arrested for allegedly
buying and selling highly venomous, non-indigenous snakes on the
Internet.
Bradley Hudson, 48, and Richard Duckworth, 26, were released on bond
after
their arrest Friday by officers from the Alabama Department of
Conservation
and Natural Resources. The officers seized 13 rattlesnakes, including a
Mojave rattlesnake, which has the most toxic venom of any North
American
rattlesnake.
The agency's regulations make it illegal to sell, offer for sale or
possess
venomous reptiles without a permit. Federal charges also are possible
because the snakes were traded in interstate commerce.
"If these types of highly poisonous snakes escape and begin to breed,
it
could pose a serious threat to native wildlife," said ADCNR Wildlife
and
Freshwater Fisheries Division Law Enforcement Chief Allan Andress.
"More
importantly, if the snakes bite someone, area hospitals would not have
the
antivenin on hand to counteract their potentially lethal bites."
The snakes were found in a converted storage building at Hudson's
residence
in Toney. They included six highly venomous Neotropical rattlesnakes,
two
Western Diamondback rattlesnakes, two Western Massasauga rattlesnakes,
two
Uracoan rattlesnakes native to northeastern Venezuela and one Mojave
rattlesnake.
The snakes were put in the care of a licensed expert.
first off, there is no "expert" out there that knows more then Brad. that was total bs. he has been keeping and breeding these things longer then i have been alive. in fact, he sold me my first cobra back in 1990 or 1991 when he was working at Glades Herp. no one the state has knows more then him. Second, they tracked him down thru this site, so guys, beware...dnr knows about us and what we are doing here. those of us from GA, AL, and TN that are advertising to have things that you know you shouldn't, you better get with the program. Stop offering snakes for sale if you live in a state you know they are banned. Your next call is probably going to be a dnr plant. Brad and Ricky are both friends, i hate what has happened to them and i don't want to see it happened to anyone else. brad has been keeping for decades and he is so put out, that he has completely gotten out. i picked up his southeastern pit vipers over the weekend, including a 12 pound cotton he has had for 18 years. guys, regardless how just these laws are and how we feel about them, they are what they are. its my advise we all conform to them. those that know me, know i was forced to move to another state to get in compliance. these rades are on the verge of being unbelieveable. i know several who have had to deal with it. they come to your house with fbi, federal marshals. they all carry shotguns around your wife and kids. they take your snakes, pictures of snakes, your paper records, then even take your computers and cell phones. they treat us like we are damn drug dealers or terrorist. i don't understand why they act that way, but rest assured, they do. we can't go back and change things for brad or ricky, but lets learn from it and not give them another opertunity to bring in shot gun carrying federal agents that should be protecting our borders rather then threating good people that enjoy a hobby that is not popular in the general public's eyes.
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by ALA_snake33 on May 9, 2007
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Chad & Chuck, as most of you know, I live in Limestone Co., AL and have been catching small hints the Ricky might be doing some under the table Venomous Breeding, but Im not sure if their posting of these Snakes on SHHS’s Classifieds was what lead to the Arrest. All I can say now, is if people like these 2 individuals keep this Crap up, we in the State of AL will end up losing all of our Keeping Rights (Even the Natives).
Just another Black Eye we have to deal with Huuu?
Be Safe Ya’ll, Happy Herping : Wally
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by ChuckHurd on May 9, 2007
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i can tell you for certain, it was a posting on this site that lead to this bust. brad had did nothing wrong in my opinion. when he moved here from FL he provided AL DNR a detailed list of everything he had. they never told him anything about not keeping what he had. for years he had been working with DNR, doing displays and shows with them and for them. his locals knew all along what he had and what he was doing. no one ever said anything to him about it. the only thing ricky was breeding was cottonmouths that he caught and got from me and also a cane he got from me. there was nothing underground. the snakes they wrote him for were snakes he had bought and was trying to resale.
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by ALA_snake33 on May 9, 2007
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I see, guess the News blew this one all out of proportion again Huu? As usual, they have no sense of correctness in the way they Write their Articles.
Sorry ya’ll, shouldn’t have opened my mouth without knowing the facts.
By the way Chuck, are you saying that Alabama DNR Knew about Brad having the Non- Natives and said nothing till now? If this is true, he could fight them and win by Leaps and Bounds.
Be Safe Ya’ll, Happy Herping : Wally
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by ALA_snake33 on May 9, 2007
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Joshua, the State of AL says that you cannot keep any Non-Natives to this State without a Permit, well, the fact is you cannot get a Permit. The little without a Permit thing here was put in place when the Bill was Written to make those of us that Keep Venomous think they were at least going to give us a chance at doing this in a Lawful Manner. Well, guess what? We got “SCREWD” and now if you try a apply for this so called Permit, they Ignore you Totally.
In other words, this was Alabama’s way of insuring no one owns any Non-Native Species of Venomous Reptile. I call it the “Back Door Job” for this very reason.
PS: I have known over 30 Venomous Keepers, each one with at least 8 Years Experience that have tried to get this Permit and none have gotten it yet, and I venture to say none will. Most have been trying for 4 Years.
Be Safe Ya’ll, Happy Herping : Wally
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by earthguy on May 10, 2007
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Which agency is supposed to issue permits? You should, under the Freedom of Information Act, be able to find out exactly when and to whom these permits were (or weren't) issued. I guarantee that state agencies will NOT mess around with FOIA; you'll get all the information that you need.
There is a set way to challenge the law. Take full advantage of your rights as a citizen.
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RE: What is this about Ricky???
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by Rob_Carmichael on May 10, 2007
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I see two important things here:
1) Get everything in writing. Don't ever assume that just because you are helping an agency that they won't come back and nail you...it obviously can and does occur. Personally, I have never had that problem and work closely with our state agencies and know that they are upfront, honest folks whose word is gold in my eyes. But upholding the law is their first priority. But, in the end, getting some agreement in writing could have helped this situation.
2) If the process will not allow the possession of a non native permit, then you just have to follow the law. Tough pill to swallow but before folks move to certain states, and, if they feel that keeping non native venomous herps is important, then they have to know what they are getting themselves into before making that move. I personally feel its a sad thing that private owner's rights are so restrictive but every time someone gets busted, or, does something stupid, its another nail on the coffin....and there are a lot of dim wits out there who are blowing it for the responsible folks (not saying that those mentioned in this thread are the dim wits...I'm thinking of some others).
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
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