Mr. Sampson:
I’m compelled to reach out to you after reading some of these posts to address a subject of this discussion: Christopher Law and his purported comments about the herp trade. Many in the herp community no doubt read the Kingsnake.com fora, in addition to members of the general public who may access this forum thread and may be inclined to take your words at face value, so I feel that I must answer some of the accusations you’ve made.
Chris Law is a very close friend and associate of mine and my relationship to him doesn’t color my observations of matters of fact about him. This young man is not a braggart, and not bragged in his own defense on this thread – so I’ll happily do it for him.
Firstly, Chris has spent a great deal of his time in the last few years caring for multiple ailing family members, a full-time job, while simultaneously working for living, while simultaneously offering his services free of charge in the fields of herpetological education, both in person and via the Internet, while simultaneously rescuing/placing reptiles throughout Ohio and even across North America. I had the privilege of launching a semi-formal crocodilian rescue/placement service with Chris, Croc Rescue Network, in 2007, which has through its conscientious participants place dozens of crocodilians of various sizes from various situations in various states, to responsible, vetted receivers of these animals. The main goal of CRN is based on what’s best for the animals, and no money is derived from the effort.
A few words pertaining to his character: In Ohio alone, Chris’ sterling reputation for professionalism marked him as the guy the police call- sometimes in the middle of the night (at a horrific crime scene), throughout the state, to capture/retrieve an alligator, caiman or other animal. Being on the front line of reptile rescue/placement, he has become more sensitized to the horrors wrought upon defenseless animals by some pet owners. He has done all of this at his own expense and he has not hoarded animals, as the opportunity would afford him. Neither has Chris tried to open a road-side fictitious sanctuary where tourists are invited feed hot dogs to obese alligators. Chris has not collected a bounty of crocodilians in his home to show off to friends and attractive women- In fact, the total number of crocodilians he currently keeps is zero.
A ‘hero wannabe’? Chris would never tell the world this, but I will: Last year he was offered a crack at his own broadcast television show, which thousands of herp keepers would give their right arms for the opportunity of; but when the producer asked him to participate in camera demo depicting a ‘total badass’, Chris quickly declined, citing his discomfort in representing the animals he loves in such a manner. Character, indeed.
When Chris remarks on Ball python commerce, he is criticizing the result of trends in the market that may promote widespread cursory stewardship of these animals. When you’ve seen what he has seen among those particular suffering objects of the herp trade, it is hard to be angry with him for his emotive viewpoint, as if trying to be heard above the roar of the crowd.
To say that Chris is opposed to the herp trade is to provoke a roar of laughter among his friends and associates as an absurdity. He has promoted the trade as early as since before I connected with him in 2002 (right here on this very website). Chris is known across the international herp community as a proponent of personal ownership of animals, including exotic ones. Opposed to facilities like Reptile Gardens in South Dakota and European crocodilian/reptile facilities? Cue the laughter. He and I regularly discuss the achievements of these places and their importance to the public education and conservation efforts.
Chris has made public for years his disdain for the unreasonable postures of the “animal right” movement. So, why the reported testimony of a group of people who claim that Chris said that crocodilians as companion animals (pets) should be legally banned north of Florida (or the southern states)? This is ridiculous- Chris has placed crocodilians with keepers in the northern climes of the U.S. (!).
I was not present at this event where Chris supposedly stated what you say he did, so I’ll propose a resolution for this seeming disparity. There is a faction within the herp community and industry that responds with burning anger to anyone in the herp world who rails against the mistreatment of reptiles and amphibians.
Please reread that last sentence and absorb the breadth of the obvious implication.
These persons seem to show little or no concern for the welfare of the animals in their trade. These products in herp commerce are not cell phones, or waffle irons or shoes; they are living, conscious beings that deserve diligently humane treatment. Must I even say what any ethical person thinks of such ones? Libertarians and true lovers of freedom know that the bedfellow of liberty is responsibility, and its application to the herp community is obvious.
If there is a recording of Chris saying what you claim by hearsay that he said, then, knowing Chris, he would kick his own ass for not speaking clearly, since what he is accused of saying is not what he believes! If it can be proven he said it, and he actually meant it, then he would simply “say” that publicly, to make it certain. Why hide it?
I sincerely believe that some among those listening to Chris at that Daytona event became biased as soon as they heard him utter words against the wanton unconcern among some in the herp trade for the future condition of the animals they sell. Chris’ words were probably taken as a declaration of war against free trade, because to them “free” may mean being “free” from responsibility- not just free from restrictive regulation. So, if you witnessed regularly the breadth of systematic cruelty against reptiles and amphibians, perhaps the synapses of your brain would spark the word “responsibility” simultaneously with “freedom.” I propose that the guys standing there in Daytona while Chris was talking shut down their logical capacity because they immediately became defensive (emotive capacity) when they perceived a threat to their unbridled freedom.
This lack of responsibility by some has lead to the present, slow asphyxiation of the herp industry, because the industry failed to adequately police itself, which produced more than enough fodder for prostitute politicians and to those in the public arena who sincerely believe that the only way to stop cruelty it is to ban trade, an idea which Chris (and I) reject as unreasonable, reactionary and unconstitutional. This rift in the herp world has rendered the real, surreal, to the extent that some folks would label one who speaks out for abused reptiles as “extremist”.
One thing you are correct about is Chris’ public, vocal nature. It is passion that drives one to be so vocal and written on an issue. Your assertion that he opposed the herp trade is based on the hearsay of one private incident, whereas the volume of his passionate writings on the worldwide web shows no evidence of such. If wanted to say that, why not write about it? Why limit it to a private meeting? Want to know his views on croc keeping? He’s already told the world. Read his article, “How Much is that Gator in the window?” In this article, he tells the reader the subject as he sees it.
You mention that Chris will never be a member of Crocodile Advisory Group or Crocodile Specialist Group. How, sir, are you able to determine this? Are you a member of these groups that you seem to hold absolute authority over the recruitment of? I don’t believe that you are, but please correct me if I am mistaken. And while Chris is not currently a member of CAG or CSG, I can testify that he is held in high esteem by multiple of its members, many of whom are zoo professionals, those whom you say hate him.
Chris whores himself for free animals? You’ve mistaken him for someone else. Chris knows, as well as any other intelligent animal keeper, that there is no such thing as a “free” animal, and his collection over the years, by my estimation, has been conservative, especially considering the number of animals he has rescued/placed (at his own expense). Unless you have proof of your claim, it is libelous.
You further state that he is delusional and suffers from (a) personality disorder. Perhaps you are a psychiatrist or psychologist and you have had him on your couch, and your diagnosis is sincere. If you are, then I have no complaint about your remark except that you have just violated his medical privacy and Federal law. But if you are not a psychiatric professional who has analyzed him, you are well advised to retract your statement in short order, in the hope removing your liability for libel.
You seem to imply overall that there is generally no problem with the herp commercial trade and that every merchant (or nearly so) is disposed to keep abuse in check and remedy the issues smoothly, but the evidence belies you.
A few words regarding Cindy Steinle: I don’t know her very well but I am of high opinion of her, and if you think she wants to shut down herp commerce, I would point out to you that she is a long-time employee of Kingsnake.com. Your conclusion is without evidence and is, on its face, preposterous. She “got a pet store owner thrown in jail”? Ms. Steinle is not a law enforcement officer, to my knowledge, and therefore doesn’t ‘get people jailed’. That is done by sworn officers of the peace who are convinced of the evidence of a crime. Perhaps you should amend your statement.
My purpose herein is not to ridicule you, but to clearly and fairly correct your assertions, and to encourage you to let down your unwarranted defenses and see the other side, so that you can truly make a balanced, informed judgment about larger matters at hand, and clarify your words to retract obviously spurious accusations.
Christopher Law, Cindy Steinle and others like them are, in my opinion, on the cutting edge of the evolution of herpetoculture, perhaps speaking words less popular, not to garner selfish attention, but to achieve real-time results and to inspire fellow lovers of reptiles and amphibians to make the necessary changes in order to maintain their sovereign freedom to be stewards of these wondrous animals.
I say to you sincerely and without malice, that Herp Keepers who spout vitriol at this idea are like lost characters trapped in a decrepit, expired play script, and they, like certain animals of history, fail to adapt, their failure evidently leading them to extinction.

Truly yours,
Israel Dupont


Member, IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG)
Member, Libertarian Party
Pres/CEO, The Bridgeworth Company
LivingAmongAlligators.com