Legislative Issues

Abstract

I will be writing this column from a slightly different perspective, since I have been approved as Legislative Vice President for the American Federation of Aviculture at the meeting of the Board of Directors in May of 2001. First, we will be providing an overview of the projects that we expect to undertake as long as I am working in this position.

Legislative activities, proposed laws and regulations, and exiting laws and regulations regarding aviculture and exotic birds are of great concern to aviculturists, but not very interesting in and of themselves. In a word, most are boring. At the same time it is vital that we know about them and their effects on our avicultural activities.

Since there are a number of laws in effect and more proposed, we will have a legislative team working together to provide information on existing laws and recommendations on proposed laws. At this time we can clearly see that the following laws may or will have an impact on us: 1) U.S. Endangered Species Act, 2) U.S. Invasive Species Act, 3) U.S. Animal Welfare Act, and 4) Wild Bird Conservation Act. This list does not comprise all U.S. laws that cover birds, but only those with the most potential for immediate impact within the next two years. Obviously, other proposed laws may be introduced that will affect us. We

must be vigilant.

Members of the legislative team will each be working on a specific area of interest in federal legislation and sharing their information with the whole team, which will review the specific matter and prepare a report for the AFA Board, along with recommendations for action or nonaction, as the case may be.

Next on our agenda will be state laws that affect aviculture. We will be working with the Regional Directors to obtain a precise listing of each state law presently in place and any proposed laws. This important information is to be gathered together, listed under each state, by statute number, stating the main focus of the bill and the details which affect aviculturists. We will also be adding other information of relevance about the functioning of each state legislative body and associated committees or agencies relevant to aviculture. This will be an extremely important list and should provide badly needed information to our avicultural community.

Local laws, such as city and county laws and regulations often restrict or prevent the keeping and breeding of birds and other exotics. We will not attempt to list all local laws, but we will prepare information that will be of assistance to those who must deal with such situations. Already available in this

 

regard is the Bird Keepers Legislative Handbook by Kelly Tucker, provided through the AFA Bookstore. If there is anyone reading this column who does not have a copy of that booklet, please order it. It can be a life saver when you are faced with immediate problems from animal control agencies or local city and county officials.

Although on the surface it does not appear to be a legislative matter, we will be monitoring the activities of animal rights organizations. Many of the restrictive laws that are proposed are generated by the animal rights organizations in their attempt to eliminate our so-called "use" of animals. If we can obtain a heads-up on their activities, we will be in a better position to do something about those activities when they pertain to our sphere of interest.

One of the reasons why we are having difficulty with legislative problems or regulatory problems is that we, aviculturists, have not laid claim to our territory in such a way that others know to keep hands off and to give respect to our work. We are the stake holders in breeding exotic birds in captivity, whether these are domesticated or wild caught birds, they are our birds and we have a right to keep them and breed them. Not just a right, but now a responsibility to save species.

The majority of bird keepers and breeders are probably keeping birds simply because they enjoy them, and maybe earn some income. Zoo bird keepers and curators are also aviculturists, but they are sustained by earning a salary.

 

 

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