Prohibits the breeding, sale, trade, purchase, importation, and exportation of red-eared slider turtles

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic4

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Pete Harckham says this is needed

Turtles may seem to be low-maintenance pets, but in fact turtles require a lot of care and have long lifespan. Red-eared slider are the most common and inexpensive breed of turtle sold in pet stores, but with proper care, these animals can grow quickly and live up to 40 years in captivity. This commitment is often larger than new pet owners antic- ipate and as a result, red-eared sliders are commonly released, albeit illegally, into the wild where they wreak havoc on local ecosystems. Red-eared sliders are highly adaptable but are considered an invasive species: they are listed as one of the world's 100 worst invasive species by the International Union for Conservation. Not only do they compete with native turtle species for food, they are known to spread disease to other species and their high fertility rates have resulted in overpopulation. These environmental harms are fueled by the pet trade, which has led other states to impose restrictions on the sale of these turtles. This legislation would prohibit the breeding, sale, trade, purchase, importa- tion and exportation of red-eared slider turtles in New York State, with exceptions for zoos and aquariums, sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitators and other specialists.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.