City of Toronto is attempting to add all constrictor snakes and monitor lizards to prohibited animals list without anyone noticing. They also want to ban the use of reptiles and other animals from travelling education shows. In the evening of April 27th, All Reptiles received a phone call from a concerned business associate regarding the City's intention to quickly update the prohibited animals list to include all snakes and monitor lizards. We all know that there has been talks about this movement for some time and as it stands right now the City appears to be actually moving forward with intent. All Reptiles staff attended the hastily announced Public Meeting at Metro Hall on May 1st. We were met with a large number of animal activist groups as well as individuals that have no understanding of reptiles. These people are advocates against captive care of all animals. There are many of them and they are very vocal.



We, as a reptile community, are not being fairly represented and the City is being pressured to act on removing our right to keep these animals as pets. They are also being pressured to ban the use of "exotic" animals from Educational and Therapy use. This means no more animal visits in our schools, daycares, community centres, March Break programs, at home birthday parties, corporate shows, senior's homes, etc. It is very unfair and unjust for the City to go ahead with this without hearing from our community.



The city has put a time limit on submissions for the public to comment. The time limit is up this Friday, May 5th!!! I implore you, as customers of All Reptiles and lovers of all animals and our environment to please speak up against this movement in order to protect our pets and our right to keep them in our homes. We understand as a responsible pet business and pet owners that not all snakes and monitors are the same. The people advocating against us do not separate a Ball Python from an African Rock Python nor do they separate a Savannah Monitor from a Komodo Dragon. They are generalizing the species without any detailed information.



For those of you who do not have the time to write your own letter or are not comfortable with your own words, I have included in this email a TEMPLATE letter that I have drafted for you. This letter addresses both of the issues and is fully editable as you see fit. Please give it a read and edit anything in or out that you agree/do not agree with and send it in to the important people outlined below!



The City is also considering implementing a "Positive List" rather than a "Prohibited List". If this is the way they choose to go, then that means all species of Geckos, Bearded Dragons, Water Dragons, etc... are also at risk!

List Of Important People to Contact and

How To Contact Them Please write directly to our Mayor, your Ward Councillor, and the Public Servant that headed the Public Meeting.



Mayor John Tory: mayor_tory@toronto.ca

Twitter @johntory

Public Servant that headed the Public Meeting, Mohamed Shuriye: mohamed.shuriye@toronto.ca

The Councillor of the Ward you live in. How to check your Ward: http://bit.ly/1HjUuA5

The city website regarding the issue. This website information is incomplete and very vague. It purposefully downplays the magnitude of what they are doing: http://bit.ly/2pFcGi8 DOWNLOAD LETTER The City has informed us that we only have until this Friday, May 5th, to make our comments. This is very unfair and hastily done. We can not let this stop us and we will continue to advocate in the interest of our animals. It is never too late to write in so even if you receive this notification after the 5th, please still do write in to them!



Thank you for your time and interest in this issue. Our time to work together to make our voices heard is now! Please download the template letter above and edit as you see fit and send to our Mayor, your City Counsellor, and Mohamed Shuriye. Email or call us and ask for Karen if you need additional help.