National Exotic Owners and Pet Owners Association
what we’re all about
What is NEOPOA? Well, the National Exotic Owners and Pet Owners Association is a group comprised of a diverse cross section of society, consisting of pet owners (exotic and traditional pets) and concerned non-owners alike, coming from a plethera of backgrounds. The following is a generalization of what NEOPOA believes in, and the direction it is heading in when it comes to each of the subjects. This in no way means that NEOPOA members all hold this same perspective, but this is what the organization as a collective works toward.
Exotic Pets: It is our belief that every responsible person should be allowed to purchase and keep a non-traditional pet, provided that the animal is not captured from the wild (except with extenuating circumstances, such as an abandoned individual/litter, as part of a species survival program, or an injured adult that has minimal chances of survival if re-released). That anyone should be believed responsible until proven otherwise be it through inadequate containment, or poor health of the animal, or any other circumstance that would reasonably put the animal in physical danger. This is not to be construed as that we as a group claim to put veterinarians or anyone else above animal owners in determining the medical welfare of an animal. Far from it. The owner should have the right to refuse treatment they deem problematic for the animal or generally unnecessary, provided they have a logical reason for doing so. An example would be that they should have the right to refuse to have an animal put down in spite of anyone else’s opinion. They should NOT have the right to request a perfectly healthy animal be put down. We believe the life and well-being of the animal should be foremost in any decision, though most decisions should be left to the owner. We are working to change legislation already in place, and to prevent future legislation that would severely regulate or wholly prevent you from owning the pet of your choice. We believe it is your right to own whatever you want, provided you can care for it in a reasonable manner.
Traditional Pets: It is our belief that every child should have some form of pet to grow up with. To that end, we believe that more pet-friendly housing should be available in the cities of the nation. Also we believe less problematic protocol should be put in place at the shelters across the nation to promote animal ownership rather than so restrict placement of animals in a loving household. It is our belief every animal owner is responsible until proven otherwise, and that no animal is “inherently dangerous” until proven beyond a doubt. In those limited event that occurs, it is our belief the animal should not be killed regardless of what it may or may not have happened. There are no bad dogs. There are no evil dogs. There are just nasty owners, scared people, confused people, and officials that would take advantage of that fear and confusion. We are working to change the legislation in place, and to prevent future legislation that would severely hinder your right to own a traditional pet and keep it in a manner of your choosing, provided that manner is suitable to the health of the animal.
Laboratory Animals and Animal Experiments: It is our belief that experimentation on animals is a vital key to the development of new treatments, medications, and new understanding into the world of the animal themselves as well as our own lives. When conducted correctly, that is. Many animal rights groups decry animal studies when it comes to understanding the way medications and treatments are carried out. We feel that when conducted in a reasonable manner and for a prudent purpose, it shows many things that rote science cannot. When it comes to how a drug affects a certain affliction, the diversity of physiology is quite important as those variables cannot be nailed down with any cetainty by any mechanical manner as life is far too comlpex and variable for even the best computer. That having been said, we DO say that quite a few experiments performed under the guise of standard laboratory practice could be revised to be less stressful for the animals, or revised completely so as to not be performed on animals at all. Most noted among these would be LD50 tests for most new products to determine the median lethal dose of that chemical, product, or medication.
Animal Shelters: We believe that the current shelter system is so far out of date and the regulators are so far out of touch that it needs a complete overhaul. We are willing to work with any no-kill group that does not mandate the carte-blanche spaying or castration of animals. We believe that the funds collected through mandatory licensing laws and such should go directly to fund the animal shelters in those juris dictions rather than to the general fund for the politicials to disburse for their personal projects. We also believe that we may have found the solution to the “pet overpopulation problem”, though with the current political client any politician attempting to introduce the appropriate legislation would be shunned by any political allies and be immediately jumped on by the Animal Rights groups. Therefore we’re in support of the present no-kill shelters and are endeavoring to set up our own no-kill non-neuter shelter/sanctuary system for any kind of pet seeking refuge.
Legislation: We believe that individual OWNERS know more about their animals than any group of lawmakers could, or potentially even more than “experts” in any issue. We promote the election and retention of individuals who share that opinion and those in office who vote with that in mind. It is our belief that our individual rights as OWNERS and potential OWNERS should be held above the perpetual worries of a few outspoken individuals who tend to be afraid of everything in the world surrounding them. Notice we used the word “owners” and emphasized it rather than “keepers”, “guardians”, or any other passive verb AR groups tend to use. While we know animals are more than mere posessions to many, we work to prevent over-regulation and the potential for governmental and nongovermental agencies from seizing them without judicial due process in the name of “saving the animal” and “public welfare”. To this end we believe it must be reinforced that they ARE posessions and we are OWNERS with the rights to keep our posessions as we so desire, within reason.
Legal Problems: From time to time, we are willing to stand behind any member that we believe is being persecuted as well as prosecuted (or sued) for any particular reason dealing with their legitimate ownership of animals, providing that certain criteria for support are met. Also, from time to time, we may take the additional step of providing legal counsel if the individual member is not able to afford adequate counsel themselves. This protects all members’ rights and prevents unwarranted harrassment of animal owners everywhere, whether it be by a municipality, a county government, state government, or even a neighbor afraid of any dog larger than their shoe.
Advice/Assistance: It is our endeavor to try to provide advice or assistance to any new pet owner (exotic or traditional) when they run into problems that occur now and again, and by our collective expreience we can offer easy solutions to their difficulties, and help them through the trouble spots with greater ease than newbies trying to find their way on their own. In doing so we help promote responsible animal ownership from start (what sort of animal is suitable for my lifestyle?) to finish (when’s the right time to say it’s time for the final trip to the vet?) and thereby help reduce the unwanted pet population by helping people keep their beloved pets and keep them healthy.
National Institute of Canine Experts 
March 31st, 2009 → 12:09 am
[…] This chap added an interesting post today on NEOPOA National Institute of Canine ExpertsHere’s a small readingWell, the National Exotic Owners and Pet Owners Association is a group comprised of a diverse cross section of society, consisting of pet owners (exotic and traditional pets) and concerned non-owners alike, coming from a plethera of backgrounds. The following is a generalization of what NEOPOA believes in, and the direction it is heading in when it comes to each of the subjects. …. Blog Stats. 1761 hits. Liked it here? Why not try sites on the blogroll. … […]
March 31st, 2009 → 4:29 pm
[…] National Institute of Canine Experts placed an interesting blog post on NoneHere’s a brief overviewNational Exotic Owners and Pet Owners Associationwhat we’re all aboutWhat is NEOPOA? Well, the National Exotic Owners and Pet Owners Association is a group comprised of a diverse cross section of society, consisting of pet owners (exotic and traditional pets) and concerned non-owners alike, coming from a plethera of backgrounds. The following is a generalization of what NEOPOA believes in, and the direction it is heading in when it comes to each of the subjects. This in no way means that NEOPOA […]
April 25th, 2009 → 7:04 pm
[…] Another decent blogger placed an observative post today on NEOPOA National Institute of Canine ExpertsHere’s a quick excerptWell, the National Exotic Owners and Pet Owners Association is a group comprised of a diverse cross section of society, consisting of pet owners (exotic and traditional pets) and concerned non-owners alike, coming from a plethera of backgrounds. The following is a generalization of what NEOPOA believes in, and the direction it is heading in when it comes to each of the subjects. …. Blog Stats. 1761 hits. Liked it here? Why not try sites on the blogroll. … […]