Quote:
Originally Posted by StrictlyExotics
I wouldnt be surprised if Animal Planet is just another front for all of the anti-animal groups in the world. Its propaganda in a nutshell. I know there are tons of Steve Irwin fans out so I hold all statements regarding him but, he was probably the most irresponsible reptile enthusiast out there. If I want to watch animals shows, I will watch National Geographic, and the old 70s shows at that. Those REALLY taught us what animals were like in their natural habitat.
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You can call it propaganda, but the problem is a real FACT. If there weren't irresponsible reptile keepers in the hobby, there wouldn't be this problem then would there?
I know the problem exists, and that it is not understated. I know too many people in FL.
As a rescuer and wildlife rehabber, I'd say the answer is that you should do a better job of policing your hobby, and a BIG item on my list with sellers...is INDISCRIMINATE sales!
I have been involved with herps for over 25 years, and I was even a wild collector in a past life before being reformed as a rescuer and wildlife rehabber. It's my opinion that most sellers simply make a sale to whomever has the money, and a lot of times this is long distance, and don't know the buyer at all.
I, on the other hand, don't put an animal in anyone's hands who hasn't filled out and passed an application process where their knowledge is tested.
True most people aren't going to turn a high dollar value animal loose, but not everyone here and on other sites is selling high dollar value animals either. That doesn't represent the majority of herp keepers. Most aren't keeping high value animals.
Second, the problem species aren't often high dollar animals to begin with. I get contacted frequently about taking in big dangerous species that the people can't GIVE away! Whether its a "hot", or a Burmese or Retic, or a big male Iguana with a bad attitude. Those kinds of animals end up getting dumped by irresponsible buyers. This hobby is all too full of those kind.
I see a lot of denial and putting heads in the sand when it comes to these issues in the herp community. I was part of taking in animals from the SPCA Arlington,Tx. / USGE seizure. As an SPCA Placement Partner, my rescue org took in more than 2,100 of the 26,000+ animals confiscated from USGE. During and after this event, I saw a lot of people in the herp community with their fingers in their ears about the situation...claiming that it was all "animal rights" activists fabricating evidence. I saw a complete knee jerk dismissal from many in the herp community, who did not look objectively at evidence at all, simply because PETA or SPCA were involved.
As someone who was involved and took in more than TWO THOUSAND animals...I can tell you the charges against USGE were not made up, and this sort of situation gives the commercial aspect of the herp community a fairly well deserved black eye.
The problem of encroachment by non-native species in the southeast is not all at the feet of irresponsible individual keepers who let them loose. Some of the blame is on importers of wild caught animals too, which pass through ports like Miami. This community is still rife with that kind of trade too, and USGE and Jasen Shaw exemplified that. Shaw is now wanted by the feds for smuggling in case anyone hadn't heard.