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 #2089155


Jbreddawg
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 Reptile rescues

Figured I would take this out of the other thread. Sorry for posting it in there . Hopefully we can maybe have a decent discussion on the views of rescues. As most of you already know I am very against it. Here is the post I made earlier in the other thread.


I belong to the jacksonville herp society. We do reptile rescues. Which means, we rescue animals. Let me clarify that. People call us that have animals in their yards, little billy went off to collage and left something behind, someone gave something to someone because they no longer wanted it and that person now calls us to come and get it, etc...etc...etc... We don’t PAY for rescues. They are picked up as rescues,rehabilitated if possible and rehomed all for FREE !!!!

Someone going to a petstore/Private individual and seeing an animal in very poor condition,not being taken care of properly,etc... and then PAYING them for that animal is not rescuing it. That’s BUYING it.
With that action you become part of the problem not the solution. You are paving the way with cash and and a pat on the back that what their doing is ok and please continue on as someone else will be in tomorrow to (rescue) another one from you.

STOP giving them money, STOP paying them for this behavior, STOP helping them to continue to sell sick and poorly kept animals by NOT buying that animal. When their unable to sell these animals and make a profit it will become unprofitable for them to do so and they will move on to something else.
But as long as there are people out there that will (RESCUE) that poor uro for 50 dollars off of craigslist/petsmart,etc... there will continue to be a need to keep the supply flowing !!!
As opposed to what some of you might think, I LOVE animals of all kinds. I even work at a zoo.
So don’t think I just want to let all those sick and dying animals suffer, what I want is to stop all those sick and disgusting people who sell these animals from continuing what there doing.



10/27/09  07:45pm

 #2089170


Datsunissan28
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   Message To: Jbreddawg   In reference to Message Id: 2089155


 Reptile rescues

Yes, I totally agree with this.

The only way you should ever spend any money on a rescue is if you recuperating the costs for a rescue organization. Example: I adopt a reptile from the Jacksonville Herp Society and donate a small amount so they can recuperate the vet and temporary housing costs they incurred. This is how most animal shelters work and true nonprofit rescues work.

A true rescue will be a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit group. Basically meaning they do not have to pay taxes because they are recognized organization that is for the benefit for the general public and not for the profit of individuals.
10/27/09  08:28pm

 #2089184


Jbreddawg
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   Message To: Datsunissan28   In reference to Message Id: 2089170


 Reptile rescues

Well, we are a non profit organization run solely by volunteers who love what they do. There are a few rules before adopting from us though. One, you must be a member of the society. That way we can get to know you better. Two, you must put in some volunteer hours with the society. These can be done in a variety of ways . Three, you will be interviewed by a member who is educated in the animal that is being adopted.
These simple rules keep someone from joining the society for 20 bucks just to grab a bunch of free animals.
We are all about placing rescue animals with good homes. The real problem lies in that there are alot more rescues then you could ever imagine.



10/27/09  09:16pm

 #2089222


Patches107
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   Message To: Jbreddawg   In reference to Message Id: 2089184


 Reptile rescues

Look, I’m not trying to start a fight, just stating my opinion, and I will say the same thing in the other thread. And I don’t expect a lot of people will like me after what I have to say, but I really don’t care, because it’s the truth.

People such as the husband and wife I "rescued" Flora from should no doubt be charged with animal cruelty. However, it’s as simple as this. If I hadn’t been the one to get Flora when I did, and need I remind you she wasn’t being treated well at all, someone else who had no clue what a Uromastyx was prior to seeing one for the first time would have come along at the flea market she would have been sold at, saw her, and thrown down the money to pick her up. They would have proceeded to take her home and most likely put her in either a ten or twenty gallon and offer crickets and mealworms on a calci-sand substrate with no UVB, etc. Now in the end, the Uro would have been sold anyway, most likely to someone who didn’t know what they were doing, or they wouldn’t have gotten any money and the Uro would have died a slow painful death. Both are grim. But when I saw Flora, I couldn’t sit there and go back knowing that she was in the condition she was.

The point is she was most likely going to be bought, and the chances are very high it would have been by someone who follows the pet store recommendations. I believe I rescued her from the horrible living conditions she was in.

When it comes to PetSmart, etc., these are large corporations who it would practically be impossible to stop people from shopping at unless a major investigation was launched into whether or not they are ethical (the obvious being they aren’t). It’s unfortunate, but boycotts don’t work unless in a large number.

What I did was the right thing, because I saved her life. She was either going to die, or she was going to be adopted by a bad owner. And the sixty bucks I gave them most likely did hardly anything but help put gas in their cars.

But I’m done; I know my message won’t be well received and will probably be widely replied to with negativity. But I’m throwing down the gauntlet because it’s the truth, and I like you guys, but I don’t want to argue about this. So I’m going to try my best, and leave it at this.
10/27/09  11:22pm

 #2089261


Obi Carl Kenobi
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   Message To: Patches107   In reference to Message Id: 2089222


 Reptile rescues

It is a very sad thing to have a reptile in a cage looking ill because it hasnt been looked after, but if i bought every one isaw id have no room left in my house. I bought my iguana for £50 his original asking price was £120, he was in a bad way and after that i told the guy he shouldnt be allowed to sell the animals he had. I stopped going to pet stores after that because i cant bear to see them in that condition. I have one breeder in my area who has a great store hes the only place i go to now, I wouldnt go to another store not even to look. Jbreddawg is right, YOU CANT SAVE THEM ALL!!!!!
10/28/09  04:07am

 #2089283


Jbreddawg
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   Message To: Patches107   In reference to Message Id: 2089222


 Reptile rescues

Patches, this thread is not directed at you. I reliezed after posting in the other thread that it needed it’s own.

The subject of rescues has been a sore topic for many years on here. You have both sides . It’s good to hear your side of it . I’m not downing you for how you feel about it.
Alot of people feel the same way you do. It’s a lost cause to go against the machines,there too big,one person can’t make a difference,etc.....might as well save that one that I can.

Well, do you litter ? whats that one extra can on the side of the highway ? everyone does it ? what difference is one more can going to do ? Someone else is just going to throw one there anyways so why not me ?
Get my point ?

You are very correct, someone else would have bought Flora and probably would have killed her in the long run. And if it makes you feel better to have (rescued) her then so be it. Are you going to buy (rescue) everyone you see ?

You are still fueling the machine and helping the industry to practice this behavior over and over again.
Thats something that I personally will not do. If I did I would have 200 uro’s by now.
10/28/09  07:25am

 #2089317


Mauis Mom
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   Message To: Jbreddawg   In reference to Message Id: 2089283


 Reptile rescues

A rescue is exactly as you and Datsun have described it in my book. To pay a price, of any type is a purchase... even the ever popular "rehoming fee" is paying.



10/28/09  10:55am

 #2089429


Boabab95
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   Message To: Mauis Mom   In reference to Message Id: 2089317


 Reptile rescues

For me, now, a pet store is only for supplies, i don’t even look at the reptiles. and when i do i’m pissed(srry couldn’t think of anything else to say) because i see a green anole brown and an egytptian uro in coco fiber(yes Ive seen that) but other than the occasional glance, i go in grab what i want and leave. if only there was a reptile store where i live...



10/28/09  05:40pm

 #2089468


MissAnne2u
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   Message To: Boabab95   In reference to Message Id: 2089429


 Reptile rescues

I too am in a Herp Society here in Washington State. We take in unwanted or mistreated animals, rehab them back to health and then put them up for adoption. We also have very strict rules for adoption.
1. you must be a member of the society in good standing for 30 days.
2. One of our Adoption committee members comes to you house BEFORE you get the animal to check out your husbandry.
3. The animal is the property of the Society for 1 year with 4 visits during that 1st year. Once the year is up, the animal is then yours.

We are also Non-profit (just got that status 2 months ago) and we do educuational outreaches at schools, zoos, aquariums and libraries.

I will admit, before I joined this society, I "rescued" a Uro from a small pet store, that local mom & pop store is now closed due to an investigation of animal cruelty (we reported them), they had Uro’s and BD’s in the same tank (2 of each in a 20L), Iguanas and Monitors in the same tank and cats, chickens and birds running loose in their store. I won’t buy anything but supplies from the big pet store chains anymore, and if I want another animal, I will be getting it from my society.

I have to agree, we can’t save them all, but I also see Patches side of this as I was in their position just 18 months ago, when I saw Liono in that small 20L tank with one other Uro and 2 bearded dragons, being fed crickets and hay and on Calci-Sand, it broke my heart, so I took him home. I wish I could have gotten them all out of there, but I did "rescue" Liono and report the owners.

Each person has to do what they think is right for the animal in the situation they find themselves in at that particular time.

Just my .02
10/28/09  07:37pm


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