http://www.nohr669. com/hotitem. htm
HOT OFF THE PRESS! Pet owners, pet industry members, and others have been burning up the phones in response to NOHR669.com. The opposition in Washington is hearing us and they have launched a major offensive to try and silence us for good! Read the rest of the update below to find out what they are doing and how you can help!OFFENSIVE AGAINST US: Congressional Misinformation Campaign There are tons of reports coming in about Congressional staffers that are telling callers that they have nothing to worry about and that they are "over reacting". They are claiming that peoples "pets" will be included on the approved list.
Counter Offensive:
Once HR 669 is passed, Congress will have no say in what goes on the Approved List. Only US Fish and Wildlife will have control of the list. So a Representative or their staffer has no idea what will actually happen once USFW gets the power to execute and enforce HR 669. Which pets specifically are these Representatives talking about when they say "pets" will be safe? If there is a list of "pets" that will automatically be "Approved", why isn't that list included in HR 669. They took the time to add dogs, cats, goldfish, and a dozen other animals and then STOPPED! The Preliminary Approved List may be less stringent than the actual Approved List, but if animals can easily be put on it, they can also easily be taken off. There is no definition in HR 669 as to what "widespread" or "commercial" is or how they will be defined in the future, so how can a Representatives make promises based on specifics that are not even talked about in the bill? HR 669 allows special interest groups to challenge animals placed on the Preliminary Approved list, so any animals that the Representatives feel will be "automatically" safe might be for a day, or two. Then the groups that pushed HR 669 will challenge those preliminary approvals one by one. While those challenges are occurring (for years potentially) , the "limbo" state described in HR 669 will prevent the breeding, import, export, or interstate transport of those challenged animals. OFFENSIVE AGAINST US: Back door deals!!!! The other thing we are hearing is that we've turned on the heat so high that behind closed doors people in Washington supporting HR 669 are trying to cut deals with organizations representing a variety of people involved with non-native species outside of the pet industry in order to get them to back off. Large national and regional groups who's membership might be affected by HR 669 are being told that language could be added that will exempt their groups activities. Instead of these large organizations standing up with us in the fight, they will get the little piece that they need to make their members happy and go away.
Make no mistake about it -- we have heard from individuals that they reportedly have been told that the real intent of HR 669 is to target pet owners and the pet industry.
Counter Offensive:
If you belong to a state or national organization involved in any way with non-native species, speak up! Hunters, Zoological Professionals, Gun Owners, Laborers, Doctors, Farmers, and everyone in between ... contact your organizations! Let them know that you are a member and a pet owner and you will not stand for any compromises on HR 669 unless they are geared towards a reasonable and realistic approach to invasive species management. You have a voice and if you use it, people will listen. Also, if you know someone in an organization that might be involved, have them call!
What else can you do? Keep going! We've sent thousand upon thousands of emails through NOHR669.com and obviously we're having an impact. Our friends in Washington are blown away by the response and support that they've gotten from us and it's clear that we're making the other side nervous! But, we can do more!
Don't forget that you can send emails every day! So if you've only sent one, click on the "Do Something" link above and send another ... or two more. Keep the phone calls coming! Call once a day. Be polite. Don't believe their lies when they tell you that "you'll be fine". Make sure they record your opposition to HR 669. Schedule a meeting. Call your Representatives local office, ask for 15 minutes of their time and talk to a staffer. If you can get in with your Representative, even better! Write your letters! The deadline is AM on April 21st ... we need to get a truck filled to the top, so keep them coming! Recruit! We need more people! ... Friends, family, neighbors, strangers, it doesn't matter ... if they own a pet great, if they don't they know someone who does. Ask them for their help. Keep checking www.nohr669. com for the latest updates! If for any reason, your email doesn't go through, take the time to fax your comments to your congressional office in Washington as well as in your district!!!!
