Florida animal owners and businesses have started a petition to bring awareness to the injustice occurring in their state. Please only sign if you have a Florida address! However, feel free to share whether you are a Florida resident or not. The more it is shared, then the more Floridians who will see it. This overreach will spread if it is allowed to continue in Florida.
Sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/fwc-mandates-threaten-pet-owners-and-small-business-fl-animal-owners-ask-gov-to-intervene.
P.S. The petition alone will not fix any issues but it will help to bring awareness to the maltreatment and discrimination. The petition text is below:
Governor DeSantis,
The failure of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to work with animal owners on rules that balance the interests of stakeholders with conservation needs has created a tragic situation leading to unjustifiable personal property seizures, euthanasia of animals, denial of licenses, and severe economic impacts to businesses, especially small businesses. Our industries and hobbies are being systematically eroded by an ideology to remove animals from our lives.
The adoption of unjust regulations in 2021 has already caused some business owners to flee the state as economic refugees.
This year, FWC approved a package of harsh regulations that make it more difficult for animal owners to transfer their personal property, in addition to other implications posing serious constitutional questions. FWC staff is currently considering the creation of a biased “Safe List” that would be the most devastating blow to animal keepers yet. This would allow only a restricted list of species to be kept while banning all others. It would set a new standard for extreme government overreach in Florida.
We, the undersigned Florida residents, respectfully request that your office review these matters to address constituent complaints that have fallen on deaf ears when reported. If the review reveals any misconduct, we ask that a full investigation be performed by the Office of Inspector General or other appropriate entity. Furthermore, we appeal for the restructuring of FWC as an agency that genuinely collaborates with animal keepers and business owners.
Animal keepers remember a time when Staff, the Commissioners, and the stakeholders worked together on reasonable regulations for animal welfare, human safety, and conservation of natural resources. A recent policy shift has created a palpable divide between FWC and those who responsibly own and work with animals in Florida. FWC leadership no longer considers industry expertise in the creation of sound policy. There is a blatant disregard for the impact that destroying Florida’s unique animal industries will have on the State’s economic future.
The owners of reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, and mammals come together with one voice to ask you, Governor DeSantis, to please direct FWC to suspend its harsh mandates that threaten our livelihoods and the lives of our animals, and consider our input in the process of creating fair regulations.
Respectfully,
Florida Animal Owners and Businesses
*IMPORTANT: Only sign this petition if you are a Florida resident.