Turtles Headed to a Nearby Petsmart Soon
You read it here first: The Senate was up to passing an amendment to lift the 1975 ban on those little pet turtles baby boomers had growing up. And today they did it. Check out what Sen. Mary Landrieu had to say about it here:
May 8, 2007
scott_schneider@landrieu.senate.gov
WASHINGTON - In A 93-1 vote, the United States Senate today passed S. 1082, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Revitalization Act, which includes a key amendment offered by U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., that would lift the current ban on the sale of baby turtles in the United States.
In 1975, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned turtle farmers from selling turtle eggs and turtles fewer than four inches in length to protect pet owners from salmonella.A provision in Sen. Landrieu's amendment would require all turtles sold to be treated for salmonella, providing for the safe sale of turtles as pets.It would also require the dissemination of literature regarding risks involved with salmonella in turtles and how to properly protect turtle owners and children.
"My amendment frees Louisiana's turtle farmers from outdated FDA regulations that have crippled them for more than 30 years," Sen. Landrieu said."This is a great success for our agriculture industry, and I am proud that I could work with the Senate leadership to get this key provision passed.I urge the House to follow the Senate and pass this legislation so that the President can sign it and our farmers can have the freedom they need to provide safe and healthy turtles to America's children and families."
In response to the salmonella threat in turtles, scientists at Louisiana State University developed the Siebling method to make turtles and turtle eggs free from the disease. Sen. Landrieu's amendment requires that every turtle sold be treated using the Siebling or similar technique.The amendment also requires that states in which turtles are raised issue a certificate of sanitization signed by a federally-certified veterinarian to assure that the turtles have been treated for salmonella poisoning.
Snakes, iguanas, geckos, frogs and other amphibians and reptiles also carry salmonella but the FDA does not ban them from being sold in the U.S., nor does the FDA require that they be treated for salmonella before purchase.
There are approximately 78 turtle farmers in Louisiana, comprising a $9.4 million industry.
This amendment builds on the success of similar stand-alone legislation that Sen. Landrieu introduced with Sen. David Vitter, R-La., earlier this year.
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Tags: pets | Mary Landrieu | turtles
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Reader Comments
turtles headed to a pet smart
That is right the bill did pass the Senate but not the house. The last attemp to lift the turtle ban was to give FDA a certain amount of time to prove that the pet turtle was more dangerous than the other pets on the U.S. market. They could not have proved it. Every pet is dangerous if not handled properly. The public needs to know that the husbandry of turtle farmering now is completely different from the 1950s and 1960s. The Louisiana turtle industry is regulated by the Louisiana Agricultur Dept. Lets get back to the bill It did not pass because the other pet industries were afraid that pets they sell would be band just like the pet turtles. I understand their concern but I really do not think the FDA would ban every pet from being sold on the U.S. market. Instead of fighting against the turtle bill they should have help the turtle famers get the bill passed. They were worried about their pets being ban if the bill passed they should have been worried that if it did not pass that the FDA will eventually go after every pet that carries salmonella. The pet industry should stand together or it will eventually be in the same shoes as the turtle farmers.
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