keeping exotics

Re: keeping exotics

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:29:38 GMT

I offered to help with licensing (FOC) a few years ago - was told it would be discussed at the next meeting.

Still waiting.

Re: keeping exotics

Rob Loxley — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:53:44 GMT

How many on here are/have been involved with council licensing of their local pet shops?

Re: keeping exotics

Marie Kubiak — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:56:44 GMT

I agree with Ian - still there is a massive proportion of exotics not being kept well, although rabbits round here appear generally reasonably well cared for. We have a base of very well informed exotics clients who provide great conditions, but equally we have a large number of cases where husbandry is severely deficient. Pet shops don't always give good advice, some don't have a clue themselves and fob new owners off with wrong equipment and incorrect information.

I am all for some form of regulation. A starting point would be that people cannot walk into a pet shop and immediately buy an animal - if they had to register their intent to buy but not be able to purchase the animal for a few days then impulse buys would be reduced. I see so many small reptiles bought on a whim and the owner finds out a few months down the line that they had no clue how to look after it, it is now sick, they've lost interest and don't want to spend money. Very frustrating!

Marie

Re: keeping exotics

Ian Mostyn — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:32:58 GMT

I'm moving down south with Mark as there is still a lot of ignorance about exotic pet husbandry up here. We have tried to get training schemes for pet shop staff up and running, even had meetings with the council but they just aren't interested. Some exotic owners are knowledgable but they are the exception around here. Most are badly mis-informed by pet shops.

Ian

PS Rabbits are not exotic - they are almost 10% of our patients and deserve to be treated in the same way as dogs & cats. They are probably the most abused species that I see

Re: keeping exotics

Lorna McHardy — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:59:51 GMT

That's three of us in favour of a general requirement for licensing regardless of species, then

What you say about pet shops handing out accurate advice and information sounds great. How do places like Pets at Home fit into this - are they also getting better at it? Admittedly it's a few years since I've looked, but last time I did look, the advice given there regarding rabbits was appalling - never mind the more demanding species.

Re: keeping exotics

Mark Rowland — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:17:38 GMT

As above, Its not just exotic animals that are capable of suffering from neglect.

In fact Im actually finding more and more the reverse to be true. People with exotic animals do seem more and more to care a bit about the species they own and willing to research them before they buy. (how many clients research dog breeds?)

All my local pet shops recommend my practice and people with new pets frequently come for well pet checks where I can go over husbandry in detail with them and assess their system (they usually email me pictures of their setup.)

Of course there are the neglect cases but my perception is that they are becoming fewer. The commonly kept reptiles are often sold with appropriate care sheets these days and my local pet shops get me to look them over before they print them.

I think educating the sellers is starting to yield its results. We all rely on our reputations and so they dont generally want to be known for selling animals that die soon afterward.

Conversely the deregulation of animals requiring a dwa licence concerns me (people can now keep sloths for instance). I find this non sensible and will result in suffering through ignorance.

Just as headway is made, another cras decision is made.

There is still lots of education to be done but its not just exotics that are mis treated in the pet owning world.

My two pennies

Re: keeping exotics

bob lehner — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:05:52 GMT

Aaagh - one of my favorite topics:

Well I truly believe anyone keeping an animal should have to have a license and pass some sort of competency test.

Never going to happen tho !

For a so-called nation of 'animal lovers' there is an appalling level of ignorance about basic animal welfare.

Where to start ? The miserable lonely bunny left to fester in solitude in a wretched little hutch; the indoor cat desperate to get outside; the dressage horse incarcerated in a stable 24/7 until it goes mad with frustration and is then punished for doing 'naughty' things like windsucking or weaving; the collie dog kept in a small flat; the obese pony kept on a lush meadow; deformed pedigree dogs ..... etc., etc., etc.

Ignorance, ignorance, ignorance.

I could go on and on - but have to stop now in case my hypertension gets the better of me.