Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Florida's Nonnative Pet Amnesty Day is March 12

In an effort to keep unwanted exotic pets out of Florida's native habitats, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Zoo Miami will host Nonnative Pet Amnesty Day on March 12 at Zoo Miami.
Burmese python, Python molurus ssp. bivittatus (Squamata: Pythonidae)
Pet Amnesty Day at Zoo Miami is free and open to the public. Pet owners can surrender exotic animals to FWC representatives from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. next Saturday, with no questions asked and no penalties. The zoo is located at 12400 S.W. 152nd St.
A veterinarian will examine each animal, and the FWC will attempt to place all healthy animals with qualified adopters. Amnesty Day is also a family event featuring live animals and experts who will provide information about caring for exotic pets.
Anyone interested in adopting nonnative pets should click here to download the adoption application. Adopters must have knowledge of a species' natural history and caging requirements and have proper facilities for the animals they are interested in adopting. There is no fee for being an adopter.