Newspaper report on Donny show (long post)

[KerryLou]

This is what I found in our local weekly paper, Doncaster Freepress, & thought I would share it with you. (I did check the website to see if the story was on there for me to post a link, but no!!!)

Reptile sales condemned by animal welfare groups

Animal welfare groups have condemned a reptile sale in Doncaster as "illegal" after secret filming showed hundreds of live lizards and snakes packaged like "take-away meals".
Video evidence filmed by undercover animal rights investigators revealed reptiles and amphibians for sale stacked up in plastic boxes at a show ath The Dome.
Undercover investigators from the Animal Protection Society and the Captive Animals' Protection Society said welfare conditions at the show were "atrociuos" and have alledged "large-scale law breaking" had taken place.
Under the Pet Animals Act 1951, pet markets were outlawed to prevent animal suffering and prosecutions are usually brought by local authorities.
But event organisers have hit back at the campaigners as "extremists" and said authorities had never brought a prosecution against them despite running shows for over 20 years. The IHS, whose members include lizard, snake and amphibian breeders, have held shows in Doncaster for the last five years.
Society chairman Jon Coote said: "These meetings are run with the full knowledge, co-operation and permision of the locasl authority. We abide by all the rules, laws and conditions imposed upon us and have never been threatened with prosecution for doing anything illegal at any of these meetings. The same applies to legislation covering the welfare of live animals at our meetings. The fact that the vast majority of livestock sold at our meetings is captive bred by members selling them, is an evidential fact that is persistantly rejected and ignored by these extremists, as it does not fit comfortably with their "illegal wild animal" scenario".
But Craig Redmond of the Captive Animals' Protection Society said traders showed "scant regard" for the welfare needs of their animals.
He said: "Reptiles and amphibians were packaged in small tubs like take-away meals. "On many occassions these tubs were handled in such a thoughtless and clumsy manner you'd have been forgiven for thinking they contained inanimate objects. Unsupprisingly, the biological needs of these animals, in terms of temperature and humidity control, were simply not met".
Animal Protection Agency spokesman Elane Toland, said: "Animal dealers who illegally trade at these markets operate outside of the law. So although they may choose to refer to themselves as "private hobbyists" in actual fact, they run lucrative internet businesses and use these type of events to boost their profits. We look forward to prosecutions being brought bu Doncaster Council against these traders".
Jane Miller, Doncaster Council's director of neighbourhoods and services, confimed that the council had monitered previous shows and were satisfied that they complied with the law. She added: "We have had no compalints following this weekends event but if anyone has any evidence they should present it to the Regulation and Enforcement department who will investigate".
RSPCA spokesman Helen Briggs said: "The RSPCA has serious welfare concerns about commercial pet fairs. It is more difficult to meet an animals needs when it is being transported to and from an event - by different people if it is sold, housed in temporary accomodation and exposed to the risk of disease from other animals and to conditions (large numbers of people, noise, hadling by strangers etc..) which many animals find extremely stressful.
"The presence of buying members of the public increases the risk that animals will be bought on impulse and by those who do not have the knowledge, facilities, time and or money to neet their needs.
"The RSPCA believes that the prohibition of commercial pet fairs should be enforced, and that all no-commercial pet fairs should be licensed, with a requirement to follow a code of practice".



Just another nail in the coffin for us reptile lovers!!!!

(Please forgive any spelling mistakes, I've been out of work for 12 wks so my typing skills are getting rusty )

[RipplySquirrel]

This is going to far..... im speechless.........

"Animal dealers who illegally trade at these markets operate outside of the law. So although they may choose to refer to themselves as "private hobbyists" in actual fact, they run lucrative internet businesses and use these type of events to boost their profits. We look forward to prosecutions being brought bu Doncaster Council against these traders".

"The RSPCA believes that the prohibition of commercial pet fairs should be enforced, and that all no-commercial pet fairs should be licensed, with a requirement to follow a code of practice".

Cmon, i think we should start fighting back, all meet up and protest

[Meko]

Originally Posted by KerryLou

Just another nail in the coffin for us reptile lovers!!!!

i doubt it. 99% of people who aren't a member of some activist group have enough common sense to realise that it's only temporary housing. The same as when they take their rabbit / bird / rat / guinea pig / fish etc home from the pet shop.
The report screams 'bellends' at a high volume; it makes you wonder if the same people stand outside petshops taking photos and writing reports because Flopsy the Bunny was bought and taken home in a cardboard box rather than in a hutch with hay and water

[Meko]

Originally Posted by RipplySquirrel

This is going to far..... im speechless.........

"Animal dealers who illegally trade at these markets operate outside of the law. So although they may choose to refer to themselves as "private hobbyists" in actual fact, they run lucrative internet businesses and use these type of events to boost their profits. We look forward to prosecutions being brought bu Doncaster Council against these traders".

"
Cmon, i think we should start fighting back, all meet up and protest

well they are right in a way. Look at how many people on here have their own website to sell their offspring. If you have your own website and an available section with prices and a 'name' for yourself then you are technically running an internet business.

[x Sarah x]

"We have had no compalints following this weekends event but if anyone has any evidence they should present it to the Regulation and Enforcement department who will investigate".

Umm yes i'd be hugely surprised if anyone manages to submit any evidence to the R.E.D to investigate!

[Marcia]

I'm all for animal rights but this is ridiculous. I unfortunately couldn't turn up to the Donny show because of the dreaded swine flu but i think these extremists have got it all wrong

[Serious D]

this kind of thing realy hacks me off

do these people think that the animals are kept like this 24/7, they need to go and do some research before they make bull st articals like this, these days all i ever hear is bad press about our hobby, some people are just so ignorant, it just feels like the whole world is against us, and they will do anything to shut the hobby down.

[x Sarah x]

These are videos from Hamm...

Easy to see how they can win the general public over with words

YouTube - A Far Cry from Nature - Part 1

YouTube - A Far Cry from Nature - Part 2

Idiots!

The kettering review was my favourite, what a bunch of bellends!

[oakelm]

I like the fact they write that there was no regard to temp, humidity, etc.
So thats why there was a tonnes of electric leads going everywhere and why I had my temp gun with me and 2 twin stats and 4 heat mats for my one tiny table.

I really think they should invite a couple of people in from one of these groups and show them around properly and actually get them to talk to the sellers first to see why they are the way they are.

There was even stewards wandering around looking at the animals, the temp setups, etc. The brief amount of time I did look round nothing looked cramped up to me.

[Crestie Chris]

Ha Ha at it all, damn media XD, with the whole temp/humidity thing, I was at doncaster and I saw that everyone was using heatmats, heatlamps, and misting bottles, I wonder what the rspca thought they were for.... decoration I'm not sure they understand the term "temporary housing" XD or even with the cross contamination thing, There was alcohol hand cleaners everywhere XD

The media are so naive