For immediate release: March 16, 2009
Contact: Jenny Tinnell, 850-926-0128; Gabriella Ferraro, 772-215-9459

Photo: Go to MyFWC.comand click on “Newsroom.”

FWC seeks good homes for unwanted nonnative pets

If you have an exotic pet you can’t care for anymore, please don’t open the front door and set it free.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has a solution for you.

In an effort to keep unwanted exotic pets out of Florida’s native ecosystems, the FWC and Miami MetroZoo will host the fifth Nonnative Pet Amnesty Day March 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Miami at MetroZoo. Exotic reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish and mammals will be accepted; domestic pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, etc.) will not be accepted.

“The main purpose is to give pet owners an alternative to releasing their exotic pets into the wild,” said Scott Hardin, the FWC’s Exotic Species section leader.  “Many of the 133 species of nonnative fish and wildlife established in the wild in Florida resulted from releases by pet owners.”

It is illegal to release any nonnative species in Florida, but many pet owners are not aware of this regulation or know that most captive species will not survive in the wild. Equally important, it is not ecologically responsible to introduce a species without scientific study to confirm it will not harm native wildlife.

Some nonnative species have restrictions on possession, while personal possession of animals that pose severe ecological, economic or human health risks are banned altogether.  These species, along with unrestricted pets, will be accepted at Exotic Pet Amnesty Day.

“We will not be penalizing any pet owners who choose the responsible option of not releasing their pets into the wild.  This is about curbing our ongoing problem of exotic fish and wildlife,” Hardin said.

Nonnative pet amnesty events help to increase awareness of nonnative species prob­lems.  The event is free and open to the public.  Animal experts will be on hand to answer questions and help teach people how to be responsible pet owners.  Kids can get close to live animals on display.  Owners of reptiles of concern, such as Burmese pythons and Nile monitors, can bring their pets and have them microchipped for a fee of $32, cash only. 

For more information on amnesty day events and nonnative species in Florida, visit MyFWC.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/Nonnative_index.htm.

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