USARK Action Alerts - MD, AL and TX

A few new action alerts have hit USARK's page that may impact reptiles owners that we wanted to share here! If this impacts you, be sure to check the links!

Maryland
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is looking to change their native keeping laws, including one provision to ban keeping all native herps, including captive bred ones. All Maryland herpers are suggested to join the Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Charitable Trust (MAARC) Facebook group for updates here The MAARC has provided a detailed list of suggestions and is actively working with USARK to try to work with MDNR. You can also watch the USARK alert page here

Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama is currently rewriting all their local animal oridinances and currently sets certain types of animals into a "high risk" category. This includes not only reptiles and exotics but also a variety of dog breeds. They are not banned but the language requires them to be under "restaint" and leaves a lot of grey areas in enforcement. To read more visit the USARK page if you are in this area here.

Leon Valley, TX
Leon Valley, Texas is amending their current pet laws and while there is nothing specific about reptiles right now, they have a blanket pet limit of 4 animals of any legal type. This might be a good time to explain that some animals have different needs and maybe 5 fish would be ok to be legal and have very different needs than say 5 dogs. If you are local to the area, check out the USARK alert here