What Is USARK (United States Association of Reptile Keepers)?

USARK, the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, is a U.S. advocacy organization that works on legislation and regulation affecting reptile keeping. Its site, usark.org, functions mainly as a policy alert feed: it publishes posts about proposed bills, permit rules, and international treaty meetings that could affect keepers, breeders, and reptile-related businesses. If you keep, breed, or sell reptiles and want to know which rules are moving, USARK's alerts are written for you.

What USARK does

USARK's core mission is protecting the right to keep reptiles by engaging in the legislative and regulatory process. The site's content reflects that focus rather than care guides or husbandry advice. Posts are organized around jurisdictions and issues, and the recurring format is an "ALERT" that summarizes a proposal and what it would do.

The organization also sells products through its site. There is a cart and a checkout page, and PayPal is listed as a payment platform. The site does not state prices or membership terms in the material available, so treat purchasing or joining as something to confirm on the site itself rather than assuming it is free.

The kinds of issues it tracks

The page evidence shows four recurring categories of activity:

• State and territorial bills. A Puerto Rico bill, PC1453, titled the "Special Moratorium Law for Exotic Animals," would define "exotic animal" as any species not native to Puerto Rico and impose restrictions. It was sponsored by Representatives Gutiérrez Colón, Lebrón Robles, and Márquez Lebró.
• Permit requirements. Texas requires a permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to possess certain snake species, a requirement that passed in 2007. There are recreational and commercial "Controlled Exotic Snake" permits, and TPWD proposed an amendment requiring permittees to notify the local animal control authority.
• Local ordinances. Leon Valley, Texas, was amending its animal ordinance to add exceptions for zoos and veterinary offices. The city already had pet limits, including a ban on more than six animals in any combination. In Mobile, Alabama, the City Council tabled an issue, scheduled a committee meeting, and planned to revisit it.
• International treaty meetings. USARK covers CITES, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species, including its mid-year Animals Committee meeting. CITES is the treaty that governs international trade in listed species, with the aim that trade be legal, traceable, and sustainable.

How to read the alerts

Each alert follows a similar pattern: what the proposal is, who introduced or proposed it, what it would change, and where the process stands. The Mobile post is a useful example of the last point — it notes the council tabled the issue, gives the next committee and possible meeting dates, and credits local residents who spoke at the meeting. That structure tells you whether an item is a live threat, a comment opportunity, or already resolved.

Dates on the posts run into 2026, so check the post date and any "UPDATE" line before acting on an alert. A tabled or amended proposal may no longer be current.

Who it is for

USARK's audience is the reptile-keeping community: hobbyists who own reptiles, breeders, and businesses such as pet stores that sell reptiles or supplies. The Mobile post's mention of a local pet store owner and an animal shelter president speaking at a council meeting shows the intended role — giving keepers the information and talking points to show up at local hearings.

If you are a keeper in a state or city with a pending ordinance, the practical use of the site is to find the alert for your area, read what the proposal would change, and use the details to prepare comments or testimony. If you are outside the U.S., the CITES coverage is the part most likely to be relevant to you.