Norway lifts 40 year ban on pet reptiles

[Catherine]

For the last 40 years  Norway has banned pet reptiles. Now they are lifting the ban and allowing a number of species as pets.

Good going Norway! Reptiles make great pets.

http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...t=2&at=dt0

Since they estimate there are at least 100,000 reptile pets in Norway anyhow it makes no sense to keep banning them.

http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...t=2&at=dt0

I do take exception to the remarks of an animal rights activist on the subject:

(Animal rights activists, however, were not pleased. “We’re quite disappointed,” said Live Kleveland of Dyrevernalliansen, “that the government is legalizing these animals that can never have a good life in captivity.” She also expressed concerns about “serious infection danger,” and feared smuggling would continue.)

Clearly she has never had a reptile or spent any time with someone who has reptiles. Reptiles can have good lives with people. I don't use the word captive or captivity since a domestic pet reptile is no more a captive than a domestic cat or dog. They have been raised to live with people and they like our company.
Seriously. I go out to work in all weathers while my bearded dragons lie sleeping under the heat light. When I get home I will feed them first before I get my own supper. In the morning they will get their plate of veggies before I have my coffee. It sounds like a good life to me. I bought fancy water dishes for my snakes that look good with their colours. I clean their tanks more often than I do my own cleaning. They have an easier life than I do. You never see a sleep deprived snake rushing out the door saying I am late for work, I need to hurry.  Maybe that is why reptiles live so long. They have very mellow lives.

At any rate, good for Norway!

[Tobi]

It's good news. It's not right to have such a big ban on Reptiles! And those who do already have them, can breathe a sigh of relief now.

The 'infection risk'... huh! Reptiles have a reputation for transmitting Salmonella. Quite honestly I wonder how true that is. But oh my gosh, don't humans have a worse reputation for transmitting all KINDS of diseases? Statistically one is far more likely to get ill from associating with a human than with a dog, cat, any other animal, or a Reptile! Cooking, kichen and food preparation habits can easily transmit salmonella anyway.

Any infection risk is out of proportion to hard facts. A Reptile isn't going to give anyone a cold, flu, the Measles, or Norovirus. And that's just for starters.

It's always wise to wash hands before preparing food for example, after touching any animal, reptile or bird, or even going to buy grocery shopping, doing gardening, or shaking hands with a person! Anyone who doesn't do that has no right to blame anything they touched.

[Catherine]

Good point about the infection risk. Reptiles are low risk, people are a high risk source. Any time a reptile has a problem, the probably got it from a human who has failed to keep thing clean.

Many people have poor food handling skills. Cruise ships are the worst places for Noroviruses and there are no reptiles there.

I think it is very wise of Norway to change its laws. They are admitting that they were wrong on the first place.
They also recognize that with so many reptiles in the country it would be impossible to stop them. People want reptiles as pets.
If you have never had a pet reptile it is hard to explain. They are just really great pets. And they are so beautiful.

They work for people with allergies. They are fine in big city high rises. They work for people who work odd hours or who are gone all day. They are calm and gentle and they don't mind being alone for hours. Reptiles can certainly fit an active big city lifestyle.

Let us hope the Iceland follows Norway and lifts its ban as well.

[Tobi]

Yes let's hope Iceland follows Norway!
Iceland had a pretty icy attitude to dogs, as dogs were banned in 1924! (There must hang a 'tale'! I wonder if anyone has written about it?)
Then Rejkyavik wouldn't allow dogs but they were tolerated everywhere else. Anyway I have heard that Rejkyavik has changed a bit nowadays, though still a bit uppity about dogs.
So it's time people opened their hearts to all sorts of creatures including reptiles.

And yes, I wouldn't go anywhere near one of those cruises. They are notorious for spreading disease! Also I wouldn't like the music I don't think.

[Catherine]

Quote:And yes, I wouldn't go anywhere near one of those cruises. They are notorious for spreading disease! Also I wouldn't like the music I don't think.

They sound boring too. All people do is eat. They are giant floating hotels with no where to go.

I didn't know Iceland banned dogs. The reptile ban is not too surprizing then. I don't think there is a lot of life on Iceland. Other than birds it is too isolated to have much. Why wouldn't they want pets.

I still don't understand why a country would ban reptiles. If they are native then they belong there. If they are pets then they are not a threat to anyone. So why ban them. The fact that they estimate that there are 100,000 reptiles in Norway  tells you no one took the ban seriously. I bet the real number is closer to 200,000. There is no way to control and pet, not even cats and dogs.  How could you control a pet that never goes out.

Modern countries accept reptiles and know that people want them. They are a pet that works for many modern lifestyles.

[Tobi]

(05-15-2017, 04:05 PM)Catherine Wrote: The fact that they estimate that there are 100,000 reptiles in Norway  tells you no one took the ban seriously. I bet the real number is closer to 200,000. There is no way to control and pet, not even cats and dogs.  How could you control a pet that never goes out.

Haha!   Those sneaky Norwegians bless 'em! The Reptile people already know no-one can stop them from keeping a Reptile at home.
The only problem might have arisen if there had been cases of neglect when there would have been no protection for the animals. So the ban being lifted will help.

[Catherine]

Weird. I answered this post last night, but I can't see my answer anywhere. I forgot to actually post it didn't I.

Bans never work. They just make it hard for the people who have the banned pet. With the ban lifted people can seek vet help if there is a problem. It is also easier to watch for abuse if people openly have reptiles.

Norway figured out that you can't ban things sometimes. It is not good to try if  people are not going to obey the ban. All it does is get people used to breaking the law. People are going to have reptiles. They may as well go along with it and try to regulate it.

People love their reptiles.