| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| n/a |
Posted - 29/05/2010 : 19:42:49
Hello,
a few weeks ago I visited a pet shop not far from me that has started to sell reptiles. I found the condition of the reptiles to be poor, there was alot of defecation in the vivs, the lights had no guards on them and were only a couple of inches above the reptiles heads, the newspaper substrate was wet and looked mouldy, a python had shed and still had pieces left on him / her, he / she looked infested and there were no hides, The python especially looked distressed. In all honesty, it left me heartbroken and I left the shop, went home and dialled the RSPCA and explained all. Today, I thought I'd pop in and see if they had stopped selling reptiles, they are still trading but what I saw today left me shocked. I apologise if my spelling or grammer is poor writing this but I'm fuming, the vivs were dark, full of defecation, there were no lights on like last time but the heat mats were under the newspaper, a python and this is no word of a lie had the heat mat on top of him as he had buried underneath it. Is this right??? I personally would not dream of seeing my little girl (corn snake) with the heat mat on top of her. Maybe I'm too fussy in how I look after my little girl? There is a reptile shop in plymouth and a reptile shop on the wirral I have visited and there set up is immaculate and in my eyes perfect and is totally different from the shop by me, in fact, they seem more run as a hobby than a way to make money. Are there any members on here from cornwall who would like to visit the shop to see if its just me or that the shop is as poor as it strikes me to be? Please let me know. Sorry again for poor spelling or grammer but as my little girl is in her home next to me now all healthy, there is a shop down the road with some sad reptiles in and that makes me right angry. |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Mouse |
Posted - 01/06/2010 : 09:40:57
I read a lot on here about the RSPCA not knowing much about reptiles. Maybe we should send them a care sheet etc free of charge so they know what they're looking for/at.
Then, armes with a checklist of do's/don't's, they may have a better chance of making a difference and be more confident about it. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 30/05/2010 : 09:48:05
That's horrible... I know my local pet shoop don't have much of a clue on how to keep reptiles but their cages are always spotless and at least there is always one hide although they do co-habit hatchlings :/
That is horrible... Is there any way you can talk to the workers about it and maybe scare them a little by saying you will report them to the RSPCA even though you you already have so they ge scared and look after them more?
Snake's can sometimes get under their heatmats, it's not really ideal but as long as they can get out from under it and it isn't going to burn them it's fine but if it is like most petshops, I bet they didn't have it statted up.
Is there anyway to keep pestering the RSPCA? Although they don;t generally know a lot about reptiles they should be able to to see by common sense that poo in the corner and no hides is not good.
You could always try e-mailing them and tell them your concerns if you have found the website. Sadly, I live 8 hours away from cornwall :( |
| Kellog |
Posted - 30/05/2010 : 06:38:39
A number of forum members have come across this sort of thing and a few ideas have been suggested about how to deal with it....although, unfortunately, I dont think anything was ever done about them. These are the links that might interest you and prompt you into some action:
SexyBear rescued this corn from a pet shop - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7996
SexyChef came across this one - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8405
I know this doesnt have anything to do with snakes but again it is to do with maltreatment of animals and what you might do....Sexybear again - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9358
To be honest I think the best and only thing that makes any difference is to vote with your feet and encourage as many people as you can to do the same - never shop there again. Dont be tempted to buy anything from there no matter how much you want to save them, all you are doing is lining the pet shops pockets and giving them an opening to put another rep into the same situation.
Get as many friends (independently of you) to go in, take subtle pics if they can and make written reports of what they have witnessed. Then get them to report it to the RSPCA....all independently. Or you can even contact your local paper and 'name and shame them' as Kehhlyr said.
It is an awful situation but what is more horrifying is that it is not a one off....there are shops like that all over the country.
xxx
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| n/a |
Posted - 29/05/2010 : 23:35:54
The only thing I could think of doing is (and I know its going to sound immature)getting a T-Shirt made up with the "don't buy...." logo printed on it and as for the name and shame, there called ****************
I've just found there website, bunch of *******! |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 29/05/2010 : 20:56:51
Unfortunately I've known/heard of a few shops like this in the past, all that I'd recommend is to try to take some pics and await the rspcas response.
It's a difficult thing to sort out sometimes, I know of another member that had an issue with another pet shop and unfortunately it didn't get sorted as a vast amount of rspca centres don't have staff that know enough about reptiles.
Maybe try a bit of name n shame..... Please don't name and shame on a public forum, as owners, any lawsuits based on slander/lible would be directed toward Kaz & Lewy - Blackecho |
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