Wednesday, June 18th
June's meeting will feature an open discussion on how to maintain your reptiles and amphibians at home as well as our care sheet program. You are welcome to bring your animals to this meeting.
Meetings start promptly at 8pm in the Alumni Room of Medaille College.
New York State's Ban of Animal Prizes
On October 31, 2001 Governor George Pataki signed into law Bill A08374. This law amends the agriculture and markets law, in relation to further limiting the use of live animals as prizes.
What this means is that carnivals and lawn fetes can no longer give out live animals such as iguanas, anoles, and red-ear sliders as prizes or give the cage as a prize and "sell" the live animal for a nominal cost (i.e. for only $0.25). This law closes a loop-hole that existed in the old agriculture and markets law. The law took effect March 1, 2002.
The New York Stare Agriculture and Markets Law, Article 26, Section 358-a now states:
S 358-a. Live animals as prizes prohibited.
- For the purposes of this section "livestock" shall mean any domesticated sheep, goat, horse, cattle or swine.
- No person shall give or offer to give away as a prize, or exchange or offer to exchange for nominal consideration, any live animal other than purebred livestock or fish in any game, drawing, contest, sweepstakes or other promotion, except when any live animal is given away by individuals or organizations operating in conjunction with a cooperative extension education program or agricultural vocational program sanctioned by the state education department.
- The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations which provide guidelines, conditions and requirements when any live animal is given away under the exceptions provided for in subdivision two of this section.
- Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to civil penalty of not more than two hundred fifty dollars or in lieu thereof shall be guilty of a violation punishable solely by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars.
During the upcoming carnival and lawn fete season if you see anyone giving reptiles as prizes or "selling" them for a nominal charge in New York then please try to contact the local authorities first (be sure to have a copy of the law mentioned above). If the local authorities are unable or unwilling to help and you are in the Western New York area then you may try contacting the Erie County SPCA, or any member of the Board of Directors so that we may try to put a stop to this inhumane practice. If you live outside of new York State you may want to check out this resource for laws concerning live animal prizes.
Through the efforts of the Western New York Herpetological Society, Upstate Herpetological Society and local SPCA's in western and central New York this law has come into being and now adequately protects these animals from the improper care these animals receive before and often after they are given away.
If you are not in New York State and would learn more about this issue in your area then consider joining the Carnival Iguana Yahoo Group. It is free to join and it will help put you in touch with other herpers in other parts of the country who can help.
This information is to be used only as a guide. Please contact your local authorities or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the latest and most accurate information.
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