New England Herpetological Society

Last year, PIJAC testified on behalf of the pet industry in opposition to HR 6311, the 2008 version of the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act.  That bill died at the end of the 2007-2008 legislative session.  A new version – HR 669 – has been introduced.

HR 669 contains many of the problematic provisions found in last year’s bill, plus even more restrictive provisions. PIJAC urges people to remain calm while the bill works its way through the process.  A PIJAC PetAlert will be distributed with more information and updates will be posted here.

In anticipation of this new bill, PIJAC organized a broad-based coalition which has been holding periodic telephone conferences.

As expected, there has been strong reaction to the introduction of HR 669; PIJAC is working to quell any panic until specific and unified action needed.  In the mean time, please note:

• PIJAC has been working this issue since well before HR 669 was introduced and has been tracking this process for almost one year.
• PIJAC has been meeting with House of Representatives staff responsible for managing this process, and specifically working on HR 669.
• PIJAC has been meeting with senior US Fish and Wildlife Service officials responsible for policy as well as implementation of the invasive species laws.
• PIJAC has created a Coalition involving trade associations and others representing a wide variety of potentially affected industries (i.e. pet industry, food aquaculture, zoos/aquariums, and game ranches).
• The Coalition is critically analyzing the bill; developing messaging points; and planning to develop a policy position paper.
• People need to remain calm throughout the process and to recognize that this is only the beginning of a long process.
• IT IS PARAMOUNT THAT ALL SEGMENTS OF THE PET INDUSTRY ARE PERCEIVED AS HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS PROCESS.  IF PERCEIVED OTHERWISE, WE WILL LOSE OUR CREDIBILITY AND WITHOUT OUR CREDIBILITY, OUR COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL VOICES WILL HAVE LITTLE TO NO IMPACT.
• Petitions are nowhere as effective as well crafted letters addressing key points in the legislation.  So please wait until more information is posted here on the PIJAC HR 669 Forum.

Please click here to read the full text of HR 669.

Please click here to read PIJAC's testimony opposing HR 6311 in front of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans.

Please click here for more information on the pet industry's historical position regarding non-native wildlife in the pet trade.