Seized at customs.........

[Mujician]

What happens with animals when they are seized at customs? I remember watching on TV at Heathrow (I think) they had a batch of cockatoos that were illegally imported, but some woman was coming to collect one of them for a pet - is this common practice - if so, how do you find out which animals have been siezed and how do you go about adopting them to keep? Ben

[ukgeckos]

I suppose the RSPCA?
I went into the customs office in folkstone to have my geckos checked, it took over an hour for about 20 animals but while we were in there they showed us pictures of what they had found before - guns, bombs, drugs, people squeezed into the smallest spaces possible and the same with animals!

[Akua_Ko_Nalu]

You may bid on them and search through yourself.

I myself am looking at a Ball Python Shipment from Ghana in April.

Approximately 1200 to look through.

[harry007]

How to do you search through on what they may have? is thier a specific site that they have

[Jamie]

The wildlife park I volunteer at take some, they are always in contact with heathrow!

[josharmitage]

they usually go to rescue centres, my college i went to is always taking them in

[harry007]

I too saw the programme where the shipment of cockatoos where brought in but majority where pts as they had some sort of dease.
Where as the healthy ones where rehomed, as seen an elderly lady coming in to collect 1 from the animal reception at heathrow.

[purejurrasic]

I have not come across any situations where the public can bid on them and choose one, normally customs hold a list of approved outlets, such as clubs, societies, rescues etc.

They then contact the appropiate clubs etc and offer them the animals at a small charge.

My local club, ESRAS, often gets calls, and we then offer them around our members.

It should be noted that ownership will always remain with the crown, and if you do rehome anything via this route, you have to keep them informed as to the animals where abouts, its death (often happens with these) and you are not permitted to sell them on.

[BecciBoo]

They have people they contact to take them...i.e rescue centres, colleges, zoo's etc

My mum is one of the contacts for Manchester Airport (she owns a community farm and works for a college that has a lot of Herps), she gets a lot of tree frogs and gecko species that stow away in baggage compartments. Someone once tried to bring though two tortoises in there pockets and she now has them!

[BecciBoo]

Oh and she has never been charged for any of the animals or had any regulations put on us...once they have passed on the animal they don't seem bothered!