So you want to be a Reptile Rescue??

[BWSmith]

FYI:
HERPER ENEMIES!!! Humane Society (HSUS), Animal Protection Institute (API), and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

All the names sound noble enough, but make no mistake, they are ALL out to destroy our priviledge to keep reptiles in captivity. Each year the HSUS puts a bill to congress asking for the COMPLETE BAN on ANY reptile in private hands!

Off Topic, but oh well.

[scorpman]

BW SMITH GOOD POINT I USE TO WORK AT THE LOCAL HSUS AND THE ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE THEY ARE GREAT FOR DOGS AND CATS BUT THEY DONT KNOW ABOUT HERPS.
LIKE I SAID IN MY EARLIER POST I WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP AND JOIN A RESCUE FOR HERPS AND INVERTS. SO LET US KNOW WHEN YOU ARE READY TO START IT UP

HAVE A SAFE TRIP

[marisa]

I feel so many ways about it.

For me, I keep reptiles because I feel we are LUCKY to be able to do so. I feel we are lucky as humans that these species will conform to living in a cage as well as they have. I do it for the reptiles. Not the prestige. (which there is none lol)

So with that in mind, should any TRUE lover of reptiles have a problem with them being kept in the wild only? If it meant another reptile would never ever be left in a cold cage, starved or harmed in any way I would most certainly give up all my reptiles! I can see where they are coming from is what I am saying. I don't think anyone on this website can claim they have done as much for animals on a whole as the Humane Society. Even if they do put dogs and cats down, no one else does their job on their scale, and no one has offered too. They are all we have for strays, and unwanted cats and dogs. I can understand their frustration after years of caring for over bred pets.

At the same time I don't like anything goervment, and I love keeping reptiles. I believe if they were illegal our problems would be HUGE. More black market reptiles, less education, and you can guess how things would be.

I am torn on the issue, but thankfully its a cold day in hell when they will be able to track down every reptile owner in Canada and make the give up their reptiles. Just like ferret. Illegal in California, but you think they could do a damn thing about it? Nope. Its a laughing matter there to ferret owners. Myself included when I lived there.

Marisa

[CyberGhost]

The humane society does't put animals down hince the name "Humane" your thinking of the pound.

[marisa]

Actually many many of them do in fact put animals down. You have to hunt out no kill shelters to know they won't put the animal down. Some don't but lots do. They just can't handle the load of thousands of animals per year, most who dont get adopted.

Marisa

[eyespy]

Don't be fooled by the name!

HSUS is in no way affiliated with the Humane Society locations that are active shelters, they just have a soundalike name. They are a lobbying organization and not in any way actively affiliated with animal rescue. They term themselves an animal protection organization, rather like PETA.

The Humane Society shelters which are actively involved in animal rescue are licensed by the US Dept. of Agriculture and Fish and Wildlife Services to enforce their animal cruelty statutes and to house animals according to their standards. They work in partnership with the government, not just as lobbyists. Each Humane Society of (fill in location here) is a licensed animal shelter, not just a lobbying organization. They are independent non-profit organizations without a national or international headquarters. Many of the chapters called "Humane Society" are actually members of the ASPCA.

HSUS is only licensed to lobby government organizations and has no enforcement powers, thank goodness! If they had the enforcement powers the various Humane Society chapters do we'd be in big trouble!

[SnowFoxx]

Not only that - when you send money to the HSUS, NONE of it goes towards the funding of animal shelters, spay/neuter programs, or in any other way directly benefits homeless, abused, or neglected animals. All of the money you contribute will go towards taking away your rights as a pet owner through local and national legislation. In fact, the HSUS, like PETA, would like to see pet and livestock ownership banned completely. No pet cats or dogs, no meat, no fish, no wool, no honey. No hunting of any kind. No use of animals for any reason whatsoever. Keep that in mind the next time you have a few dollars to donate, or those pretty cards and address labels show up in the mail.

BTW, the above statements do not apply to the Hooved Animal Humane Society. Any money you give to that group does go directly to rescue, rehab, and protective legislation that is reasonable and much needed.

- Victoria :w

[BWSmith]

Sorry, didn't mean to get it so off topic

[marisa]

But at the same time, what would everyone here do if we DIDN'T have those organizations?

Seriously? Where would all the strays go? Where would all the hillbillies take their cats litters?

I believe they may be against this or that, but frankly I will support my local humane society here in Canada because I know that even if they do want to ban certain animals, they are the reason that my quiet little town isn't being over run with strays.

Things may be different here in canada, I don't know. Our local place for strays is called the SPCA. Aside from that you only have private shelters/foster homes.

Marisa

[Lisa]

In Canada we don't have HSUS, so they aren't the threat that they are in the states. I do think it's rather rotten that HSUS banks on having a similar name to the various shelters.

[marisa]

Lisa-

Thanks for clearing it up. That is rotten that they do that. Most people probably have no clue what the differeance is!

Marisa

[Herpkingdom]

The point of this post was to shed some light on these popup rescues and to remind people who need a rescue for a reptile or amphibian to do a little research into any rescue they are considering.

The whole Humane society issue is a separate issue that I may address in another post. I really have to sit down and write one, and then take out all of the bashing parts that come up I tend to get emotionally involved in issues that pertain to killing animals even if it is by a Humane Society or any other organization that shelters animals. But Like I said I won't go into that here, it is for another post.

Someone on another forum, reminded me that I forgot to mention the pet stores around the country that take in rescues and then sell them for profit. I did forget, and I am totally against it and feel this rant of mine applies to them as well.

[LdyDrgn]

I would like to see that, Jim. I hope you get to it soon.

Marisa, the HSUS also circulates information that the risk of salmonella infection is very high with reptiles, therefore they should not be kept as pets by anyone. Granted, if you clean up feces with your bare hands then stick your fingers in your mouth you can end up infected. It all comes down to (un)common sense in keeping ANY animal. Wash your hands! duuuuh

[drewlowe]

i don't have the time to post some big long speech. But i agree with the initial post completely but where i live i don't see that going on. So if it is i'm not aware of it. My main concern are the d@#$ petstores in my area i won't mention names cause i know the liabilites. All of them sept the reptile specialties in my area are horrible about keeping up with their reptiles i cant even go to a big chain petstore without debating about how they keep thier reptiles. One of them insists to me for the past 3 years its ok to house beardies and leos toghether. every time i go in there i argue with them. ok i have to stop now because i'm getting upset and i will go on and on. So for me i didn't post about the reptile rescues because i don't see it going on but i completely agree if you cant handle it then don't do it. My biggest concern though is the big pet chains. I belive those are worse than the reptile rescues at least where i'm at they are.

[The_Snake_King]

I think this needs to come back up top for reasons seen elsewhere on this site about a rescued kingsnake that is going to die due to the ignorance of the person who rescued it!