WHAT IS OUR CAUSE

On March 23, 2021, the DNR of West Virginia issued a blanket ban on the ownership, breeding, and commercial sale of almost all native reptiles and amphibians including the corn snake (pantherophis guttatus). Corn snakes are a common species within the reptile hobby and are owned by tens of thousands of reptile enthusiasts across the United States.

While the ban was issued to protect native wildlife from poaching - an issue that many of the species on the list faced, corn snakes are not a common target of poaching in West Virginia.

Corn snakes are a fringe species - populating very small portions of the state, while their adaptability and ability to flourish in captivity means that almost every corn snake alive today has been bred for many generations in a captive setting rather than poached from the wild.

This ban on such a common captive species hurts the reptile hobby in West Virginia not only for breeders but for owners alike. It hurts potential taxable revenue to the state and punishes hobbyists who would otherwise get their reptile from reputable sources.

This legislation is regressive and shows that the DNR do not understand the numerous complexities of the reptiles they claim to protect.

PLEASE HELP OUR CAUSE

We believe that a blanket ban on breeding, selling, and ownership of corn snakes is draconic, restrictive, and detrimental to the reptile hobby in West Virginia and that removing the ban would not cause significant harm to native populations.