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IHS Breeders Meeting ? statement of facts

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#1 ·
IHS Breeders Meeting – statement of facts

Dear all,

As you are all know doubt aware a matter has arisen in respect of the IHS Breeders Meeting scheduled to take place this Sunday the 17th of June 2012. The information contained within the Animal Protection Agency Press Release dated the 12th of June is, as one would expect, not entirely accurate.

Notwithstanding this there are significant issues with the event, below is an exchange of correspondence between myself and the chief executive of Doncaster Cultural Leisure Trust who operate the venue which I believe are self explanatory.

The matter is now in the hands of our legal advisors and this will be in Court tomorrow [15th of June]. I shall post further information as it becomes available. If you are planning to attend the show on the Sunday then please watch this space for updates. Those attending in a formal capacity will be informed by phone of developments as soon as they are known.

The FBH Conference on the Saturday will not be affected.

Thank you for your continuing support.

Regards,
Chris Newman
Chairman Federation of British Herpetologists




Open Letter to:

Michael Hart, Chief Executive - Doncaster Cultural Leisure Trust
cc Jo Miller,Chief Executive - Doncaster Borough Council


Re: International Herpetological Breeders Meeting 17th of June 2012


Dear Michael,

Further to the discussions that took place at the meeting on the 12th of June and our subsequent telephone conversations, regrettably we cannot concede to your demands that no animals be sold on the day. As chairman of the Federation of British Herpetologists it is incumbent upon me to represent the best interests of the herpetological community.

The Breeders’ Meeting, at which breeders have always sold and exchanged surplus breeding stock, has taken place at the Dome since 2004. No changes in legislation have been enacted since that time other than the proposed removal of Section 2 of the Pet Animals Act 1951 under the Animal Welfare Act. As you know this proposed change in legislation would be welcomed by the FBH as it would permit such events to be licensed, a position also supported by Doncaster Borough Council in the past.

Doncaster Cultural Leisure Trust has entered into a binding contract with the International Herpetological Society to provide facilities for the Society to hold its Breeders’ Meeting on the 17th of June 2012, as it has for the past eight years, and there is no reason why this year’s event cannot proceed as it has previously. It is our understanding that these Breeders Meetings are fully compliant with the law and we are, therefore, unable to change the remit of the event in particular at such short notice. We believe it is unnecessary, unreasonable and disproportionate.

It would be easy for us to agree that no animals would be sold on the day and then to dishonour that commitment. But, unlike our opponents, we operate with the highest levels of integrity and such an action is ethically untenable. It is our firm belief that Breeders’ Meetings are fully compliant with the Pet Animals Act 1951 as amended. I would suggest this view is supported by Doncaster Borough Council who have approved the events over the past eight years and have even attended in an official capacity. In 2010 Doncaster Borough Council sought a barrister’s opinion on the matter and took no action having found no cause for legal or ethical complaint them.

The most logical course of action for all parties is for the event to take place normally and for the authorities take remedial action if they believe any transgressions of the law have taken place.

In our opinion it is patently clear from the meeting on the 12th that Doncaster Borough Council are endeavoring to make Doncaster Cultural Leisure Trust the scapegoats and close a lawful event simply because the Council have received criticism from a vocal minority. I am aware of the contractual issues between Doncaster Borough Council and Doncaster Cultural Leisure Trust, but I trust that all in authority would act with integrity and not seek punitive retribution should the Trust honor its legal commitments. This behavior would be entirely unethical.

If Doncaster Cultural Leisure Trust breaches its contract with the International Herpetological Society and cancels or alters the hire of the facilities for its Breeders’ Meeting on the 17th of June, we have no choice but to take immediate civil litigation to enforce the terms of the contract. We therefore require that you confirm in writing by no later than 15:00hrs today (14th June), the decision of Doncaster Cultural Leisure Trust in respect of this matter.

We fully appreciate and regret the pressure that you are under and we were not aware until Tuesday that you had received death threats for allowing the event to run in the past. Organisers and members from the International Herpetological Society have also been threatened and over the past ten years my own home has been attacked six times by fanatical Animal Rights Activists.

We cannot and should not, however, allow threats from a vocal minority to affect the thousands of people who enjoy these events and we must take whatever action is necessary to allow the IHS Breeders’ Meeting to take place this weekend.

Yours sincerely,


Chris Newman
Chairman Federation of British Herpetologists

14th June, 2012 @ 12:00hrs


cc Knights Solicitors
Rt. Hon Rosie Winterton MP, Doncaster Central
Rt. Hon Ed Miliband MP, Doncaster North
Rt. Hon Caroline Flint MP, Don Valley
Peter Davies, Mayor of Doncaster
 
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#2 ·
Response to letter received 14th June, 12.28pm

Re: International Herpetological Breeder’s Meeting, 17th June 2012

Dear Chris

Thank you for your letter received today regarding to the International Herpetological Society’s position in relation to the operation of the event scheduled to take place on Sunday 17th June 2012.

As you aware Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust met with yourself and Richard Brook to request that the event on Sunday took place with a ruling of no sale of any animal. We were clear that if this request could not be met, Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust would be unable to allow the event to take place at a venue under the Trust portfolio.

Further to the position outlined in the letter by the International Herpetological Society, it is with regret that I must inform you that Doncaster Culture Leisure Trust will not allow the event to take place at The Dome.
This decision is in relation to the event scheduled on Sunday 17th June 2012.

I would be grateful if you could inform me of your intentions towards the Conference and Function scheduled to take place at The Dome on Saturday 16th June 2012.

Also at the meeting we discussed that once a decision was reached we would issue a joint press release, can I confirm that you still wish to do this? And if so could you please contact me with regard to the proposed wording.

Yours sincerely



Michael Hart
Chief Executive
Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust











Open Letter to:

Michael Hart, Chief Executive - Doncaster Cultural Leisure Trust
cc Jo Miller,Chief Executive - Doncaster Borough Council


Re: International Herpetological Breeders Meeting 17th of June 2012


Dear Michael,

I am afraid that the DCLT’s action is a flagrant breach of its contract with Richard Brook and IHS. Richard and the IHS have been given insufficient notice of all this and have had no time to mitigate their losses. The only sensible option is to issue proceedings and these will be put in hand as soon as possible. Samuel Laughton of Counsel has been retained and our Solicitors will instruct him shortly. The plan is to issue on an emergency basis in the Chancery Division in London with a hearing tomorrow. If DCLT wishes to attend and wishes to be represented you need to answer Matthew Knight’s letter/fax of even date and indicate who is going to deal with this for DCLT. In the absence of any of this our solicitors will issue without formal notice and will go ahead with the injunction application on an exparte basis ie without DCLT present or represented.

Obviously it would be better if DCLT was present and was represented and so I suggest that you organise your solicitors to defend these proceedings and to line Counsel up to represent DCLT in the Chancery Division tomorrow.

As regards to the conference, arrangements for this remain unchanged.

Yours sincerely,


Chris Newman
Chairman Federation of British Herpetologists

14th June, 2012 @ 15:51hrs


cc Knights Solicitors
Rt. Hon Rosie Winterton MP, Doncaster Central
Rt. Hon Ed Miliband MP, Doncaster North
Rt. Hon Caroline Flint MP, Don Valley
Peter Davies, Mayor of Doncaster
 
#3 ·
Hi,

An entirely reasonable response to their breach of contract.

I remember the days when we used to arrest people making death threats not bowing to their pressure.

I wish you well in this and would ask if there is anything we, as individual members of the hobby, can do to help?


dr del
 
#29 ·
Hi,
An entirely reasonable response to their breach of contract.

I remember the days when we used to arrest people making death threats not bowing to their pressure.

I wish you well in this and would ask if there is anything we, as individual members of the hobby, can do to help?
dr del
I agree with the doc, anything we can do to help let us know.
I hope that this can all by sorted tomorrow, it seams unfair for the show to have restrictions implemented last minute. It was always a matter of time before the council gave way to the massive pressure that the APA (Animal rights terrorists!) have gave to the council and the event its self in a desperate attempt to stop the trading of surplus livestock at these events.

I look forward hearing the news tomorrow do we know what time the hearing will be ? I am sure i can speak for plenty, we will all be glad to know when all the fuss and ridiculous speculation is over and have a statement of facts.

I hope that this does put anyone off from attending the show on sunday and showing support for the hobby.
what the above have said, anything i/we can do to help, just say. been looking forward to donny for ages :(
I too, also feel as all of you do..... AND it is my sincerest hope that not only yourselves and and other good hearted people like you PLUS ALL who have had a lot to say over the shocking state of affairs over the last few day will be prepared if necessary to put your hand in your pocket to make a very small contribution to become a member of ANY of the societies who are putting their money where their mouthes are over the next couple of days in order for the IHS and FBH to be able to try their best to fight for this on behalf of all of us.

As I see it, this is likely to be the start of the way forward, not the end battle - lord help us ~ and particularly bless the people who front the FBH and IHS and do most of this work in a voluntary capacity. : victory:
 
#6 ·
I hope that this can all by sorted tomorrow, it seams unfair for the show to have restrictions implemented last minute. It was always a matter of time before the council gave way to the massive pressure that the APA (Animal rights terrorists!) have gave to the council and the event its self in a desperate attempt to stop the trading of surplus livestock at these events.

I look forward hearing the news tomorrow do we know what time the hearing will be ? I am sure i can speak for plenty, we will all be glad to know when all the fuss and ridiculous speculation is over and have a statement of facts.

I hope that this does put anyone off from attending the show on sunday and showing support for the hobby.
 
#8 ·
i hope people will still make the effort to go to donny whatever the outcome of the hearing.
show that as hobbyists,breeders,businesses or enthusiasts that we will not be driven away.

id like to know what the relevant authorities are doing about the recieved death threats and other threats issued by the APA.
I hope that the relevant action is being taken agaisnt the person(s) concerned or if not against the APA for being the voice of any anonymous threats.
to the same end i hope the APA make a statement condeming any such threats.

lastly...we know the APA WILL BE READING THIS, RATHER THAN SKULK IN SHADOWS MAKING THREATS,IDLE OR OTHERWISE HAVE THE COURAGE OF YOUR CONVICTIONS AND STAND UP FOR YOUR BELIEFS...COME AND POST HERE JUSTIFYING YOUR MALICIOUS BEHAVIOUR...I VERY MUCH DOUBT THAT AS A GROUP OR SINGUALLY YOU HAVE THE NERVE.
 
#11 ·
i hope people will still make the effort to go to donny whatever the outcome of the hearing.
show that as hobbyists,breeders,businesses or enthusiasts that we will not be driven away.
I might be misunderstanding this but is the doncaster dome at least a bit to blame for this by caving into terrorism and screwing us all over by these last minute changes to animal sales? Im not sure why we should show support to that by filling their venue?
Correct me if I'm wrong only started reading all this today.


Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2
 
#14 · (Edited)
Would i be right in assuming that while the idea is that no animals can be sold (a fact that is going to emergency court as it is been suggested in breech of contract and with no legal backing) but they can be displayed?

If animals can still be displayed but not sold then they can be used to display stock that the breeder has for sale, albeit not for sale on the day, prices for available animals can be displayed and interest in the purchase of these animals can be expressed but no money can exchanged on the day.

if u catch my drift.

Also what would the deal be on animals that have already been sold and are to be collected on the day, as i see it the sale has already been completed so the animal has not actually been sold at the meet.
 
#16 ·
Would i be right in assuming that while the idea is that no animals can be sold (a fact that is going to emergency court as it is been suggested in breech of contract and with no legal backing) but they can be displayed?

If animals can still be displayed but not sold then they can be used to display stock that the breeder has for sale, albeit not for sale on the day, prices for available animals can be displayed and interest in the purchase of these animals can be expressed but no money can exchanged on the day.

if u catch my drift.

Also what would the deal be on animals that have already been sold and are to be collected on the day, as i see it the sale has already been completed so the animal has not actually been sold at the meet.
Nothing, the exchange has already been done, well before the event took place, so that should have nothing to do with it I would think.
 
#17 ·
this shows - we need to make sure we support our hobby! make sure our voice is heard in a non threatening way, the council and the dome need to know there may be a violent minority against reptille keeping but there are far more of us, they are letting down.

Not sure what the best way for this is......
 
#19 ·
this shows - we need to make sure we support our hobby! make sure our voice is heard in a non threatening way, the council and the dome need to know there may be a violent minority against reptille keeping but there are far more of us, they are letting down.

Not sure what the best way for this is......
agreed...if the if show is indeed subject to restrictions then maybe the ihs/fbh can suggest a suitable way for which the reptile community can make that voice heard on the day
 
#21 ·
I think this is the concerning bit.


"As you aware Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust met with yourself and Richard Brook to request that the event on Sunday took place with a ruling of no sale of any animal. We were clear that if this request could not be met, Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust would be unable to allow the event to take place at a venue under the Trust portfolio.

Further to the position outlined in the letter by the International Herpetological Society, it is with regret that I must inform you that Doncaster Culture Leisure Trust will not allow the event to take place at The Dome. This decision is in relation to the event scheduled on Sunday 17th June 2012."
 
#22 ·
This whole thing is ridiculous! The members of the APA clearly have no lives! I could almost understand if it was the trading of wild caught animals, but it's all CB stuff which is a very good thing!
Sounds like they just want something to moan about, I hope none of them own pets! These sorts would rather kill another human than a cockroach... That's how mental they are!

Good luck with it! If I lived closer I'd be there on Sunday in support for our hobby!
 
#25 ·
To report them to the Tax man!!!
 
#26 ·
l'm sorry to have to say this and l've said this before,we are wasting our time with show's or breeders meeting where we can sell livestock,the game is over and they have won this battle,the sooner we can get our heads round this and move on the better,threatening to take the council to court is a joke that's going no where.
Ladys and Gentleman its time to forget about this and move on
 
#28 ·
we could find out where the APA hold there meetings and threaten the venues with violent attacks? :lol2:
 
#65 ·
It is public information that they operate out of a small office in Brighton. However, it is vitally important that we maintain the 'high ground'. If we stoop to their despicable, unethical, bully-boy tactics, we're as bad as they are.

either way its a joke, time to move on
The link for the APA website is on this thread. Feel free to follow it and join up. Calling this situation a 'joke' is a direct insult to the people that are working incredibly hard to fight for your right to keep the animals you do. You owe them an apology.

think this through,you go to court,you might win and get one more show,you will never get another with them,and with that info who the hell else would ever take this on knowing that A.the organisers will get agro from the antis,B if they gave us a legal contract and they get agro from the antis we would try and take them to court,were :censor: either way and nobody would touch us
and no l'm not (full of joy):censor: l'm very sad not to be going but there's not much we can do,we can get all emotional and start saying silly things to each other, but we have to take the emotion out of this and move on
Alternatively, a court ruling stating that these breeders meetings act wholly within the law as it stands will set a precedent and the APA will not have a single leg to stand on. Their weak foundations will be destroyed and we can then concentrate on the heavy pursuit of those members of their cause that are terrorists if/when they continue to threaten the lives of other human beings in the name of their cause.
 
#36 ·
Hold a major show over here in northern ireland.....we are currently organising a club for reptile and exotic mammal keepers and so the club could host the show .
Love to see the APA come over here with their petty threats and not many councils over here would bow down to their threats either as we're more than used to it ....lol
Just a quick plane flight or boat journey and you'd be here so not much compared to say travelling to Hamm or Houten folks
 
#37 ·
As a new ihs member I can assure them no matter the outcome I will continue to be a member no matter the outcome.

To the dome, what exactly has changed in the last few days? Are you really going to bow to home grown terrorism? Why exactly are these threats not being referred to the police?

Surely the papers would be interested?
 
#40 ·
The government ( all sides ) have said for several years, in their menifesto's that they intend to stop the keeping of exotic animals in the UK.
I'm sorry to say it looks as if the Dome, as an IHS venue, to sell surplus captive bred animals looks like it is coming to an end.
I dont think the two are unrelated.
I never really agreed, in principle, with WC animals beeing available for sale there, as these were breeders meeting.
We do not have a legal right to keep any animals in the UK, as far as I'm aware.
Government can, if it passes regulation or law, restrict the activities of it population.
Unfortunatly I can see a time when the keeping of pets will be restricted or licensed. ( You used to need a license to keep a dog in the UK )
Once regulation is impossed only those who are determined and (maybe) well financed will be able to continue their hobby.
 
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#44 ·
Even if the show gets cancelled i think we should all attend anyway . If a few big issue sellers with dogs on string can stop the show im sure a few thousand reptile keepers standing up for there hobby can at the very least show them we wont back down .
 
#46 ·
this makes me so sad :( i was so looking forward to doncaster, i will still be going sales or no sales as ive reserved something and i will continue to support the hoby:) will you be allowed to buy equipment? and to the guy who said move on really? dont you see how this is a ovbousily the beginning on a very slippery slope, i cant believe i just got into this hobby and it could soon be over :( we need to do something public and very legal (so the APA dont have a way of wriggerling out) like an advert on tv or a newspaper advert
 
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