Governor Kasich, we are the "Snake People" -- also known as biologists, conservationists, and herpetologists!

All herpers, -- conservatives, liberals, moderates, independents, green party, and whatever else may be your affiliation -- must stand united to initiate the most vigorous grass roots campaign to publicly oppose the candidacy of Governor John Kasich (R-Ohio) for President of the United States.

On October 21, 2011, Governor John Kasich, by executive order, required a Dangerous Wild Animal Workgroup, within 39 days, to propose legislation regarding the regulation of "dangerous wild animals" in Ohio.

The workgroup recommendation was obviously predetermined. We know what happened regarding unreasonable restrictions being placed on responsible reptile owners; and that Governor Kasich was the driving force behind the Ohio DWA legislation (along with his friends at HSUS). Not only have Ohio herpers and exotic animal owners suffered (many moving out of Ohio), but we now have endured copy-cat legislation in West Virginia and who knows where else in the future.

Our numbers are not equivalent to those of some other groups, but due to our extreme passion for herpetology, our message to government officials and politicians has become loud and powerful: Don't tread on us! As I wrote before, USARK's preliminary injunction against USFWS has left the federal agency stunned. You had to be at the court hearings in Washington, DC to observe their sullen faces.

At the state level, USARK also laid down markers on behalf of reptile and amphibian owners. For example, a prolonged battle during 2014 and early 2015 resulted in the removal of all salamanders, tree frogs, clawed frogs, toads, turtles, large lizards, constrictor snakes, venomous snakes and crocodilians from the WV DWA list.

Then several weeks ago upon adjournment of a DWA Board meeting in WV, one of the DWA Board members politely asked those of us observing the meeting if we were "snake people." On behalf of our contingency, I responded: "Yes, we are 'snake people.'" One of our members then identified himself as an accomplished WV biologist-herpetologist. I wonder how they knew/guessed we were snake people?

Photo: kingsnake.com user eastbayexotics