Can anyone shed some light on The National Pet Association (http://www.nationalpetassociation.org/) (NatPet) which was just created and has Adam Wysocki (http://www.nationalpetassociation.org/index.php/about-us/staff/boardofdirectors) of 8 Ball Pythons (http://www.8ballpythons.com/index.htm) are their president?

What I'm concerned about is why this new organization was created? I'm worried that they may take away from USARK at a time when USARK really needs the monetary support to fight for us. Is NatPet filling a void that I'm not seeing? Or is this the result of fighting within our industry at a time when unification is most important? I'm just concerned to see NatPet quietly pop-up on the scene with such slick website. If you know their story I'm all ears.

BTW, I'm a staunch supporter of USARK, and that is where my money goes. They are producing results for us! :yessir:

Never heard of it.... "Lucy!!!!!!! You got some splainin to do!!!!!!!!!"

I am happy to answer any questions, but I'm not on the message boards much at all anymore because of time constraints, so email will definitely get a quicker response.

I'll try and explain as much as I can here.

The idea for The National Pet Association (NatPET) was born out of the work I was involved in with the fight against HR 669 in April. I was fortunate enough to be included in the nohr669 website where 42,000 people registered and sent emails & letters as well as made phone calls all in the course of three weeks. Our intention with the site was to help in any way we could, and everyone involved felt that providing people that wanted to do something in a quick, straight forward, and easy way to get involved. I am proud to say that we played a small & successful part in a massive effort of dozens of organizations and hundreds of thousands of people.

After the House Hearing for 669 was over, I became obsessed with the idea of organizing as many of Americas 71 million pet owning households as possible. The experience that I had working not only with the reptile community, but bird organizations, fish clubs, small mammal rescues and groups, and dog & cat associations left me with the impression that responsible pet owners were happy to stand together for a common goal if someone was willing to help them do so. All the while I was making weekly trips down to Washington DC meeting with Senate and House staffers and making contacts. I did (and still do) my best reminding our government that there are tens of millions of responsible pet owners in America.

So after getting together a group of friends experienced in reptiles, politics, dog clubs, birds, and the pet retail business we all began working on NatPET. Our plan was to launch publicly in January of 2010, but the fast movements of the python ban have accelerated our schedule. I've been in DC every day for the past two weeks and I'm working closely with PIJAC and USARK. I was on the phone with Andrew Wyatt just a few hours ago coordinating our efforts for this coming week and spoke with Marshall this morning.

Along with political lobbying in order to protect responsible pet owners, The National Pet Association is working on many social programs to help pets and their owners. These programs include:

1. NatPET Pantry - A National Pet Pantry program that helps people who are out of work or on an adjusted income in these difficult economic times get a bag or box of free food for their pet, or a leash, or a thermostat when they need it.

2. NatPET Tracks - An educational program for 3rd-5th graders that teaches them responsible pet ownership through an interactive multi-media presentation. At the end of the program, the kids receive a award for being a "pet hero".

3. NatPET Shelter & Rescue Relief - Grants and donation to shelters in our members home towns, counties, and states.

4. NatPET First Responders - A DVD series that is freely available to our countries police, fire, first aide, and animal control units that will show them what to do when faced with a pet that might be keeping them from doing their job. This training can help alleviate the fears of many cities and municipalities that worry about their first responders encountering a dangerous pet related situation.

There will be even more to come in 2010.

We are not looking to take money away from anyone. That is why our membership is free. As reptile keepers, your priority should obviously be USARK, bird owners should obviously support the AFA and the ASA, and etc. Our goal is to be a source of assistance to all and to help pets and their owners in any way that we can.

I am a USARK supporter. I have donated money and animals to USARK and will continue to do so. I am a PIJAC supporter and have donated money to them as well. USARK and PIJAC have both told me that they support and appreciate our efforts. I've informed both organizations that if NatPET ever gets in their way to please let me know and we will move over immediately. We only want to help.

To date, everything that NatPET has done has been funded by my wife and I and a couple of close friends. I have sold off a lot of my hold backs and breeder ball pythons to raise money in order to travel to DC and educate our politicians, print materials to hand out in Washington about the problems that will be caused by S 373 and HR 2811 if they are passed, and take time away from my business to help protect responsible pet owners.

I hope this helps clear some things up and I appreciate your time.

Please do whatever you feel is necessary to help in this fight. If that means choosing one group over the other, there is nothing wrong with that. If that means supporting as many groups as you can, that is excellent as well. The point is that you are helping and we are all better for it.

But please know one thing, there are a lot of people from a lot of different groups pouring their blood, sweat, and tears as well as their lives into this fight for all of us. I don't envy them and they have my prayers, my respect, and my unwavering support, no matter what initials come before their ".org".

Thank you again for your time.

-adam

Adam,
Thank you for clarifying what NatPet is all about!
As you said you had to rush the site online, which is probably why there isn't much info about yourselves as you just stated here (and your mission statement draws a 404 error ;) ). Maybe you can copy/paste what you just posted here?

I'm glad to hear that your not about drawing attention away from USARK or PIJAC, and I'll spend more time on your website over the coming weeks to learn more about NatPet. Maybe you can talk to Larry and BT about being on an upcoming Reptile Radio show to tell us more about NatPet? :dunno:

Thanks again for such a prompt response! :yessir:

-Kerig

awsome to hear there working with USARK kind of like having allies in the battle of war.

We vend at some of the Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania shows that Adam attends, our table is next to Adam's at two of these shows. I've listened and talked to Adam extensively over the last couple of months about NatPet and the attack that is being waged against pet owners by HSUS and others, Natpet won't replace any other org, reptiles, birds, dogs, cats, etc.. but ally them, imagine that, a voice so strong that they have to listen to us.

Adam, his wife Kelly and all of the members of the board of NatPET are putting a lot of time and money into this, I hope it works, and I support them.

Thanks,

Rich

Adam, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to help fight all these ban attempts:yessir:... Strength are in numbers, so I don't see how more organizations would be harmful (unless the HSUS set one up as a diversion) Thank you again and keep up the fight!!!! :machinegun: