The average home aquarist has no business attempting to keep a shark, much less a species that's illegal to own without a permit, and grows to an excess of six feet! Not only are these animals doomed from the beginning when purchased illegally by an aquarist, and not only does purchasing a leopard shark baby fund this abhorrent practice, but these illegal actions causeslawmakers to (rightfully so) draft new legislature, further restricting our hobby.
As you are probably aware, a bill (HR 669) was recently drafted, and should it have passed, would have completely ended the pet industry as we know it in America. While HR 669 was a drastic and illogical piece of legislation, incidents like shark poaching remind us all that increased legal pressure is a good thing, at least as far as the welfare of the animals involved are concerned.
I think we can all agree that purchasing animals illegally on the black market is a bad thing, especially animals wholly unsuited to captivity as a rule. What other fish or invertebrate sdo you feel should be illegal to own that aren't? Feel free to be heard by commenting!
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