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The National Reptile & Amphibian Advisory Council   
The National Reptile & Amphibian Advisory Council (NRAAC) is a not-for-profit educational organization, staffed and run by volunteers, dedicated to producing an annual symposium on laws, rules, and regulations regarding reptiles and amphibians at the local, state, national, and international levels. |
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About NRAAC Legal News Join Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Link to us on LinkedIn Symposium 2014 Symposium 2013 Symposium 2012 Sponsors & Donations Buttons & Widgets Contact Us Volunteer Reptile & Amphibian News Reptile & Amphibian Links Reptile & Amphibian Salmonella Law Support Center Regulatory Agencies - Convention Intl Trade Endangered Species - U.S. Center For Disease Control - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - U.S. Dept of Agriculture - U.S. Dept of Interior - U.S. House of Representatives - U.S. Senate Organizations - American Veterinary Medical Association - Assn of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians - International Reptile Conservation Foundation - International Union for Conservation of Nature - Partners in Amphibian & Reptile Conservation - Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council - TRAFFIC - US Association of Reptile Keepers - Other Clubs, Societies, and Organizations Related Links - Animal Legal and Hist. Center |
Washington D.C. - March 7-8, 2014 - George Washington University Presented in partnership by NRAAC, PIJAC, ARAV, AZA, USARK and George Washington University Law School The Reptile and Amphibian Law Symposium & Workshop will include two days of panels, workshops, breakout sessions and talks with the goal of bringing all parties interested in reptiles and amphibians and the law to the table, to discuss changes and issues with current and proposed reptile and amphibian laws and regulations at the local, state, federal, and international levels. This event is being organized by a loose working group of people interested in reptiles and amphibians and the law, called the National Reptile Amphibian Advisory Council (NRAAC), with the assistance of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, United States Association of Reptile Keepers, and George Washington University Law School Animal Law Program. If you are interested in participating in this discussion, or possibly assisting/volunteering/participating in this event, please register below, and also join our working group on Facebook, or/and send an email. This event is open to all parties with an interest in reptiles, amphibians, and the law, including but not limited to:
2014 Moderators, Panelists, and Speakers:
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2014 Event SchedulePlease note that all panels, panelists, and times are subject to change. Please check back for updates and additions. Day 1 - Friday, March 7, 2014 8am - 10am CITES and International Trade in Reptiles and Amphibians The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between governments, including the United States, that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. CITES Parties must designate both a Management Authority and a Scientific Authority to issue permits and make the necessary findings to comply with CITES requirements. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service serves as both the Management Authority and Scientific Authority and regulates the import and export of reptiles and amphibians at U.S. ports of entry and exit. This two-hour panel will provide an overview of CITES implementation in the United States, including how CITES works and how species become listed in the CITES Appendices. The panel will also cover current events in CITES, including the outcomes of the 16th Meeting of the CITES Conference of Parties held in Bangkok in March 2013. The panel discussion is a review of the impact of CITES on reptiles and amphibians, the role of government agencies and other organizations in implementing CITES, and issues with current or proposed laws and regulations, with a focus on working together to identify issues and suggest solutions.
10am - 12pm CITES and Endangered Species Act Permitting Import and export of CITES and ESA-listed species is governed by a permitting process. In addition, the ESA provides for certain activities related to captive-bred wildlife under a permitting program. In this two-hour panel discussion, the panelists will explain the CITES and ESA permitting process for import/export, the required findings associated with CITES permitting, humane transport, and the ESA CBW permit program. The panelists will also discuss efforts to streamline the permitting process, including development of electronic applications and the "master file" program.
LUNCH BREAK - 12pm- 1pm 1pm - 3pm Organisms in Trade and Invasive Species Issues Invasive and injurious species are becoming a greater problem as our world gets smaller. Whether they arrive as hitchikers or as escaped or abandoned pets, invasive and injurious species are an issue with no simple resolution. This two-hour panel discussion is a general review of the impact of invasive and injurious reptile and amphibian species, the role of federal and state agencies and laws in their management, and current or proposed laws and regulations regarding injurious and invasive species, with the focus on working together to determine issues and suggest resolutions.
3pm - 5pm Endangered Species Laws and Reptiles and Amphibians Endangered species laws and regulations can be far-reaching, touching upon many seemingly unrelated areas. This two-hour panel discussion is a general overview of endangered species law and its role in reptile and amphibian management, the role of federal and state agencies in managing endangered species, and issues with current or proposed laws and regulations regarding endangered species, with a focus on working together to determine issues and suggest resolutions.
Day 2 - Saturday, March 8, 2014 9am - 10am Salmonella and it's impact on the Law Salmonella is the most commonly encountered diseases or pathogens that use reptiles and amphibians as a vector. Unrecognized or untreated this pathogen has the potential to cause illness and death in animals and humans. This one-hour panel discussion is a review of the role of salmonella on laws regarding reptiles and amphibians, including current or proposed regulations, with the focus on working together to determine issues and suggest resolutions.
9am - 11am The Role of Rescue and the Shelter System * Breakout Session Owner surrenders, confiscations, surrenders of illegal animals, as reptiles and amphibians gain popularity as pets, they are increasingly putting a burden on pet rescue and shelter systems designed for primarily for dogs and cats. This one-hour panel discussion is a review of the role and impact of laws on reptiles and amphibians and the rescue and shelter system, including current or proposed laws and regulations, with the focus on working together to determine issues and suggest resolutions.
10am - 11am Food & feeder health, safety, & regulation Any disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans and vice-versa is classified as a zoonosis. Salmonella is just one of the many diseases or pathogens that use reptiles and amphibians as a vector. Related animals such as feeders and insects may also act as a vector for these pathogens. These diseases often have the potential to cause illness and death in other animals and humans as well. This one-hour panel discussion is a review of the role of diseases and pathogens in the food and feeder supply on laws regarding reptiles and amphibians, including current or proposed regulations, with the focus on working together to determine issues and suggest resolutions.
11am - 12pm Chytrid and it's impact on the Law Chytridiomycosis, or Chytrid, is an infectious disease of amphibians, caused by a zoosporic fungus and has been linked to dramatic population declines or even extinctions of amphibian species in in much of the world, with the remainder at risk of seeing the disease arrive within the coming years. This one-hour panel discussion is a review the Chytrid and it's role on laws regarding reptiles and amphibians, including current or proposed regulations, with the focus on working together to determine issues and suggest resolutions.
LUNCH BREAK - 12pm- 1pm 1pm - 3pm State Laws on Reptiles and Amphibians Native reptiles and amphibians are under a tremendous amount of pressure, suffering a variety of ills including habitat destruction, road fatalities, disease, and over-collection. Most states regulate the collection, possession, and trade of native herpetofauna in some way. Exotic reptiles and amphibians are imported or captive-bred, primarily as pets, in untold varieties and numbers. Many states regulate the collection, possession, and trade of non-native herpetofauna in some way, whether through state laws regarding dangerous or venomous species or as potentially injurious or invasive species. This two-hour panel discussion is a review of the role and impact of state laws on reptiles and amphibians, including current or proposed laws and regulations, with the focus on working together to determine issues and suggest resolutions.
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