# A New US Proposal affecting transportation of hedgehogs



## j4782 (Nov 9, 2008)

I just got word of a new proposal for the United States that would greatly affect the legal ownership, trade, and transportation of exotic pets, including hedgehogs.

Hedgehogs are currently prohibited from import to the US, but this new proposal would also limit transportation of exotics between states (interstate). You would need a permit, but these permits would not be readily available. If you're familiar with how the national government works, this means perhaps a long delay or even a denial for a permit.

This concerns me because I know that there aren't rescues in every state.

I had to cross state lines to adopt my first hedgehog.

If you live in the US, please consider contacting your state representatives to oppose this change in the current law.

Details (I learned about this from a fish-keeping forum, thus the links, but it's not limited to fish)


> Please be aware that there is a Congressional Hearing happening on April 23, 2009 which pertains largely to our hobby. This hearing is on the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, HR 669, a bill which wishes to revamp how species are regulated under the Lacey Act. Species not appearing on the "Approved List" could not be imported into the United States; therefore, all unapproved nonnative species could not be moved interstate. In addition, trade in all such unlisted species would come to a halt - possession would be limited and all breeding would cease. Unless those species are included on the approved list import, export, transport, and breeding would be prohibited. Exceptions are limited and would not be available to pet owners across the nation.
> 
> A HEARING has been scheduled for April 23 and the pet industry needs to be heard load and clear prior to the hearing! The anti-trade elements are hard at work to stop activities involving non-native species.
> 
> ...


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

Is this an April fool's thing? It seems absurd...


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Doesn't look like it... over 200 people have joined the FaceBook group.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.669:


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## gallagherman (Mar 10, 2009)

I'm going to bump this up. This looks very disconcerting!!  This is from an email my breeder just sent me.

"HR669, NonNative Species Invasion Act is scheduled for a Hearing on April 23rd (THIS MONTH).

This Bill will Ban ALL animals that are NOT on the Approved list from being imported into America. And not just that, but it will be ILLEGAL to further breed these animals inside the US, sell/trade them, or transport them across State lines. Current animals will be grandfathered in, but should they breed, it will be a criminal offense.

Here's the "APPROVED" list-

cat (Felis catus)
cattle or oxen (Bos taurus)
chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
donkey (Equus asinus)
domesticated members of the family Anatidae (geese)
duck (domesticated Anas spp.)
goat (Capra aegagrus hircus)
goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus)
horse (Equus caballus)
llama (Lama glama)
mule or hinny (Equus caballus x E. asinus)
pig or hog (Sus scrofa domestica)
domesticated varieties of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
sheep (Ovis aries)

Yes, it is a VERY short list. Not only that, but as those here have tenrecs that eat mealworms, you'll notice that there are NO insects included on the approved list. This means that it will be impossible to buy food for your tenrec. And technically, it alo makes it illegal for you to grow your own mealworms.

Unless you just own a dog or cat or farm animal, this insane law AFFECTS you. Pass the word around.

Sorry to come out of silence with this news. Please help pass it along to the hedgehog communtiy and any other groups you belong to. You'll notice ALL rodents and insectivores will be banned too- including rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, chinchillas, etc.... IT'S ALL GOING TO BE BANNED!

Promoters of this Bill are making it sound like only pythons and freshwater clams are going to be banned. However the the Approved list speaks for itself.

This law has overwhelming support to pass too. Our numbers need to be MORE overwhelming. And time is Short. Contact your Congressman or Senator. By fax and email works best. By phone call to local offices also works well. Letters should be sent to local offices too

CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE HERE:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml 
"


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## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

wow....

just wow.....

not only is the endangered species act BS but now they include more BS animal laws.
Glad i am Canadian.


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## gallagherman (Mar 10, 2009)

Although I believe that importing exotic animals into the US should be regulated on a federal level, I believe that is all the federal government should have to do. The question of legality and breeding should be addressed on a state level.


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## Fluffy=) (Mar 25, 2009)

If you read the act it makes provisions for adding species to the approved list as long as you can bring sufficient evidence that the animal cant take hold in the wild and if it did that it wouldnt cause any significant damage. I dont think ive ever heard of wild african pygmy hedgie problems so if theyre not a risk i dont think the ban on them would last long anyway...and if it does hi canada! can i move in? =P


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## gallagherman (Mar 10, 2009)

I hope that hedgehogs get added to this list. They definitely would not survive in the US mainland on their own. I noticed that the main sponsor is a representative from Guam. I hope that this isn't being pushed through just because of Guam's interests. I respect Guam's right to be represented, but I don't understand the main argument for this bill.


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## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

Here's a place you can vote and find out who your local representatives are. It's posted in one of the topics on the facebook page: http://www.govit.com/vote/congress.aspx ... 009-hr-669
I voted there in addition to emailing my congressman.


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## hedgieluver (Feb 18, 2009)

theres no waaaay it'll go thru, too many buisnesses are gonna be shut down, pet food stores, oh and whoever stated about the mealworms, i dont think it pretains to them, cuz they are insects, not animals.


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## Hedgie17 (Aug 28, 2008)

I am sorry to say this, but this gets me PISSED OFF!!!! :evil: :evil: I really want to get a hedgie, and by the time I get one, (hopefully this summer) they might be illegel to sell!  :shock: ARRRGGGG!!!


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## hedgieluver (Feb 18, 2009)

OMG i kno me too :evil: ughhhhhhh!!!!!!!! but my mom says it takes years for these to pass, and everything, and shell get a fri or sat off so we can go get it, my mom really wants me to get 1, ive got her excited about em too!!!


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## kandyhedgie (Mar 23, 2009)

> Here's the "APPROVED" list-
> 
> cat (Felis catus)
> cattle or oxen (Bos taurus)
> ...


Thats a very short approved list. Here are a bunch of animals that are regularly bought, sold and bred that are not on there:
Hamsters
Guinea pigs
any type of bird
rats
mice
gerbils
every fish other than boring goldfish
lizards
turtles/tortoises

Strange list. They aren't going to get away with that. If pet owners don't protest loud enough, the pet sores certainly will. Massive companies are going to lose a lot of sales from it... hamsters alone probably make up like 25% of their pet sales :lol: With this recession, that bill could knock pet stores right out. They are going to throw a fit if it is seriously considered.

I'm also wondering what the difference is between a domesticated hedgehog and a domesticated rabbit? They were both wild animals that are now bred for domestication. In fact, a hedgehog would die on its own in the NA wild, but rabbits certainly don't. If any of you have ever heard of rabbit "infestations", just google "University of Victoria's rabbits".


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## Bess (Apr 6, 2009)

Honestly, if that list is the whole of it, this bill cannot be serious. The number of animals which are _common_ that aren't on it is astronomical, and a significant number of people's livelihoods depend on animals. These are just the ones off the top of my head:

Pets
All small mammals except rabbits.
All pet birds.
All pet reptiles & turtles.
All pet fish except goldfish.

Livestock
All fish.
Bison.
Ostriches & emus.
Alpaca (raised for wool; more common than the approved llama).

The pet stores aren't going to stand for the first part, and the fish farmers and specialty farmers aren't going to stand for the second. There is no way this is going to get passed as it stands, and certainly no way in can be enforced. My suspicion is that it is being raised to advance a particular political point -- saving native fisheries in Guam, for example, if it is indeed being backed by representatives from there. I highly doubt it is anything to actually worry about.


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## Bess (Apr 6, 2009)

And all the quotes I've read so far miss one important line on the list:

_D) does not include any cat (Felis catus), cattle or oxen (Bos taurus), chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), dog (Canis lupus familiaris), donkey or ass (Equus asinus), domesticated members of the family Anatidae (geese), duck (domesticated Anas spp.), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus), horse (Equus caballus), llama (Lama glama), mule or hinny (Equus caballus x E. asinus), pig or hog (Sus scrofa domestica), domesticated varieties of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), or sheep (Ovis aries), *or any other species or variety of species that is determined by the Secretary to be common and clearly domesticated.*_
(From the text of the bill: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h669/text)

In other words, guys, stop flipping out. African Pygmy hedgehogs are common and clearly domesticated. If you object to the bill on principle (it will make it very difficult to introduce new animals into the United States), then go ahead and protest it, but if you're worried about it making breeding and owning hedgehogs (and hamsters and parrots) illegal, calm down. It's not going to.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I honestly doubt they will go through with this, it'd be ridiculously hard to enforce! Unless they expand the "approved" list exponentially, they won't have anyone's support.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I don't think it will. And also, Bess, from what I read of it, you can apply to get animals added to the list, but it says you have to foot the bill to make sure the animal wouldn't pose a threat to native species.


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## hedgieluver (Feb 18, 2009)

thats _*if*_ the secretary considers them domesticated, and common.


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## hedgie love (Aug 28, 2008)

Like a hedgehog will pose a threat to native species. :roll: If they got out they wouldn't likely last more than a week alone!


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## calexica (Mar 29, 2009)

It's not unusual for passed bill to be completely different from the bill it was when it was first introduced. I have no doubt that this list won't pass as is. It seems they write these things knowing the details will have to be figured out later, after the community and all the experts have had enough time to react and respond. At least, this is what I hope. Sigh.


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## ana (Jan 21, 2009)

Bumping this thread... For those interested, there is a live webcast for the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Legislative Hearing on H.R. 669 @ 9:50 AM EST today: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/ind ... 73&Itemid=

The committee is made up of 20 Republicans and 28 Democrats, 12 of which include the sponsor and cosponsors of the proposed bill.

More info on the stages of this bill, it's sponsor/cosponsors, etc.:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-669

A really thorough blog post about it...
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2 ... _invas.php

I really want to urge everyone to contact their representatives to voice your opposition... I emailed mine today, unfortunately he is a cosponsor of the bill. :x


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## K9_girl1994 (Nov 6, 2008)

My mom is going to vote against this and do anything she can do to stop this and I am going to get the rest of my family to vote too if I can.  This is ridiculous.


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