I think its time we start trying to fix this error in the law that prohibits any and all snakes calssified under the family "boidae." Some should be prohibited but not all. Is there anything we can do?

I don't disagree that the law passed by the health department restricting all boid species is a bit extreme. However, the Health Department is very adamant about not changing the law. The law was put in place by a panel who could not differentiate between a rosy boa and dumerils boa. To them, a boa is a boa, and a python is a python. So we are left with not being allowed to have either. The club has discussed putting something together to have the law ammended. Others have reached out to the head of the health department before and he wasn't inclined to even think about changing the law. So as a club, we have not decided to take any action regarding the law at this point.

P.S. as far as big boas and pythons are concerned, I am for the law that prohibits people from having them. I believe that many people buy these big snakes on impulse and the "cool" factor, and the large majority of them are not able to meet the snakes' needs, resulting in poor husbandry, neglect and even disownment.


Harvey

This ban not only affects Boids but many other reptiles and exotics that are harmless. The way the DOH wrote this law is reidiculous. Wiping out whole familys of reptiles and exotics is the lazy way out.

The whole reason for the law was to ban "Potentially dangerous" animals. I don't know about you, but I dont consider the following animals to be dangerous.

Rosy Boa
Sand Boa
Ball Python
Childrens Python
Western Hognose
Collard Lizards
Leopard Lizards
Dwarf Monitors
Ameivas and Lacertas

And the Pièce de résistance....
Green Anoles (Yes, under the current law, they are illegal as they are in the iguanidae family, yet this isnt enforced. Very dangerous animals those green anoles!)

I dont know what we can do about the law, but I really would love to do something. All I can think of is maybe try and get a meeting with someone in City Hall and see where to go from there. Perhaps get some business owners involved as well (they may have more pull then a reptile society) because I know for a fact when this law hit the sales of exotics went down big time. Everyone now goes out of state for exotic animals and stores that specialized in reptiles and exotics in NYC basically dont exist anymore.