Trying Times

Trying Times

So it had to happen, the reptile trade has come under fire and been thrust into the public eye. Just as the bird trade has again and again, the APA (animal protection agency) and other people including an ex reptile importer are trying to shut down the trade.

They have been attacking trade shows by going to local councils and drumming up support closing the show before it gets time to even open its doors. They are able to close these venues on the basis that it is illegal and also under the illusion that the animals are suffering being kept in tubs and transported around the country via poly boxes.

These animals in my eyes are not suffering , they have been bred for captivity and with the advances in technology and equipment they are better looked after now than they ever have been. In our shop we make sure that every reptile goes to a home with everything it needs for a happy healthy lifestyle. Most of the people I know that go to shows have thought about what they want and know what they are getting and will have the equipment to look after their purchases.

We as shops, reptile enthusiasts, keepers, and friends have to pull together and work together because if they close the trade shows what will be next…..shops…..keeping them at home. We are not the only country to have these problems with it being illegal to keep spiders and scorpions in France and you are not allowed to use lighting in a wooden viv so you have to use glass. In Belgium you can only keep a very few species with most having been destroyed.

How far will it go…..I do not know , what I do hope is that they listen to us, without us we are not going to have a lot of these species, we wont be able to bring the technology forward for lighting and heating for the future , where would zoos and breeding programmes be without the money our industries have ploughed into technology. We will not learn half the stuff we now know if we cant keep them.