# Bill 125, Exotic Wildlife in Captivity Act, 2010



## Web Wheeler (May 13, 2006)

This bill will require all exotic animal keepers in Ontario to register and be licensed. Please note the definition of "exotic wildlife" as per definition, this bill could also include almost all aquarium animals. Here's the text of this bill:



> Bill 125 2010
> 
> An Act to amend the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997
> 
> ...


I expect most exotic animal keepers will want to oppose this bill while Zoocheck Canada and WSPA will try to rush it through as quickly as possible.

P.S. If you haven't already, now might be a good time for all Ontario aquarium and terrarium animal enthusiasts to join CATAL. Here's the URL:

http://aqua-terra-vita.net/catal/


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

so what exactly is considered 'exotic fish'?


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

gucci17 said:


> so what exactly is considered 'exotic fish'?


All of the fishes you have seen in your local fish store, because they are not native to Canada!



This is one of the reason that I wanted to start my saltwater tank before it's too late


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

really...that is going to kill fish stores though.

I can't see it happening and even if it did, to be enforced.


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

similar to the United States HR669 law

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230852


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## Web Wheeler (May 13, 2006)

gucci17 said:


> really...that is going to kill fish stores though.
> 
> I can't see it happening and even if it did, to be enforced.


Denial is the first stage of loss. Don't let this happen!

CATAL is an information website. CATAKA is an organization which represents aquarium and terrarium hobbyists in legislative matters. CATAKA also has a Facebook Page which you can join.


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

Web Wheeler said:


> Denial is the first stage of loss. Don't let this happen!
> 
> CATAL is an information website. CATAKA is an organization which represents aquarium and terrarium hobbyists in legislative matters. CATAKA also has a Facebook Page which you can join.


Well if that truely happens then I guess I'm screwed. I won't have an excuse to spend hours away from my wife.... *sigh*

lol j/k...if she read this I would be a dead man...


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Id be surprised if this applied to guppies and such. I think the use of the term exotic is quite intentional, and I doubt exotic would be applied to most of the fish we keep in our aquariums but I suppose it is a bit loosely defined. I expect this has more to do with recent incidents involving rarely kept terrestrial animals like tigers and chimps. Up until now there was a lot of leeway for people to keep these. Kudos, if this is an attempt to end that practice. I also wouldn't mind a ban on certain types of fish here given that 99% of the time the owner can't care for them properly. Im talking about fish like red tailed catfish, snakeheads and other tank busters not to mention exploited marine creatures like nudibranchs. 

I sincerely doubt however, that given the number of people who own aquariums this legislation will ultimately affect the aquarium industry. My dog is not technically a native of Ontario either, his lineage comes from Europe but he's hardly an exotic creature. You can request clarification on a tabled bill from whomever tabled it by law, so if you're really concerned you should be able to find out one way or another from the people presenting the legislation.


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## Web Wheeler (May 13, 2006)

Please don't be lulled into complacency. Here's what PETA has to say about aquarium keeping:



> Please don't support the tropical fish trade by purchasing fish. If you enjoy watching fish, consider downloading one of the many colorful and realistic fish computer screensavers available on the Web.
> 
> Source: http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/caring-for-fish.aspx


While PETA is very outspoken, other Animal Rights organizations are just as radical, are more powerful than PETA and are pushing this agenda. If we don't push back we will loose our ability to keep any animals as pets.


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

I think the sheer number of license applications in the first months would force them to reconsider listing all aquarium fish under this statute. People who know me will tell you I'm not one to be complacent but I'm also not easily impressed by conspiracy theory. That video on the CATAL website was... extreme to say the least and exclusively focused on reptiles. Perfect time to experience the political process first hand by getting clarification from your local MP or someone related to the proposed legislation .


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## redrobster (Mar 3, 2010)

*I'm not surprised*

This sounds like something Mcguinty would do, Nothing from this provincial goverment would surprise me at all,we have probably been paying some secret "eco" tax on our fish for some time


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## arinsi (Mar 14, 2010)

does this go for invertebrates too?

people have to understand some species are extinct in the wild


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

Man, you would think these idiots would learn. If there is such a backlash regarding registering firearms, what do you think is going to happen when they make us register our Gold Fish? The Liberals are going to get laughed out of the next election! No wonder they are calling him "Daddy Dalton".

Lee


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## DarkMousy (Nov 3, 2010)

While I do agree that people should need a permit to keep certain exotics that are potentially dangerous to the community if not kept properly or animals that require habitats that the average hobbyist couldn't dream of coming up with (ie. big cats, crocodilians, certain species of venomous herps), I don't see the point in trying to regulate aquarium fish and smaller herps, inverts, etc.

I wonder where they propose to get the money to pay people to manage the database and keep tabs on all the people keeping animals ranging from goldfish to arapaimas to geckos to snakes to monitors to various small mammals and everything in between? Should my 7 year old nephew have to register with the MNR to keep a betta or a few tetras in a 10 gallon?

Also, good point about the extinct species in the wild. I've been wanting to try my hand at breeding some _Paretroplus nourissati_ for a while. If anything we should be encouraging the education/propagation of extinct species, not driving them further into obscurity.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Quote:
_
"47.1 (1) Exotic wildlife means an animal of a species or type, other than game wildlife or specially protected wildlife, that is not native to Ontario and that in its natural habitat is usually found wild by nature and includes a species prescribed by the regulations."_

"*and* includes a species prescribed by the regulations."

The way I read it, this act/ amendment will require an addendum to define the particular species covered by it, just like the firearms act has for prohibited weapons.


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## Web Wheeler (May 13, 2006)

50seven said:


> Quote:
> _
> "47.1 (1) Exotic wildlife means an animal of a species or type, other than game wildlife or specially protected wildlife, that is not native to Ontario and that in its natural habitat is usually found wild by nature and includes a species prescribed by the regulations."_
> 
> ...


Yes, I agree. That's the way I understand the wording of this bill as well. Thanks for pointing that out! This bill would enable the Lieutenant Governor in Council to prescribe species for the purpose of this regulation, however, I see nothing in this bill that would identify or limit the species that could be regulated.


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## Jynx (Oct 26, 2010)

Another money grab, paying for all these licenses.

I've been emailing them, and they're now getting very tired and sending copy and paste emails.
I was emailing him about what is considered a exotic pet...
I'm a little worried about my snakes. >.>

If anyone wants to email them about how there are bylaws in place for these laws (he mentions tigers a lot in the emails) mention to him that in by laws they're already stated as illegal to own.
If they want to help pet owners, how about they crack down on animal cruelty in better ways then making us pay more money.
Also find the people who are owning dangerous animals illegally, not pet owners who care about their pets.

He's also really against boas...  While some species don't get bigger then three feet.

Anyways, here is the email
[email protected]


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## rjlw (Nov 7, 2010)

*Bill 125 - initial version does not include fish and invertebrates*

The Good News - this act does not include fish and invertebrates in the initial version. However, it is still a really bad piece of legislations and should be opposed. It is overly broad and currently would include pretty well anything kept as a pet (that is a bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian) except perhaps dogs and cats. Fish and Invertebrates may have been left out by accident and not design, they are not included in the definition of "animal" in the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act to which this bill is an amendment.

Let your local pet store owner know about this and write your MPP to oppose this.


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