I run my rescue a little different than most people. I'm not licensed or registered or anything like that b/c it costs money. I am good friends with the majority of the animal control officers and they won't take my animals b/c they know that they have a good home. I have children, yes small children. All my cages are locked up. I have a HUGE problem with a lot of rescues that i've seen around. If I chose not to run a rescue, i could live in a wonderful neighborhood and drive a lexus. My car is 25 years old and I live in a poor neighborhood. I charge an adoption fee for SOME animals. it says on my website that I charge for all, but most I don't b/c i know what its like. I visit the petstores on a regular basis to 'check them out'. I paid 200 for a burm that was at the flea market on the ground getting steped on. He was covered with mites and very hungary but still sweet as can be. We do offer to buy herps from people at a much lower price of course, if they're just trying to get rid of them. I do this mainly b/c I know they paid money for them in the first place and have been paying to feed it. I do buy cages and lamps b/c those are expensive and if they're giving me thier animal, why do they still need a cage? I always need cages. I have VERY reasonable adoption fees. I usually charge something like 20 bucks for an iguana, IF its in wonderful condition and has a good attitude, if its mean, i'll probably charge less or nothing. The neighborhood i live in has taught me a lot. There are people that live around me that fight dogs and want to fight my lizards. (morons). I don't want some random person (like them) to say hey! i can get this for free and fight it and make money. that defeats the purpose of a rescue. When i do adopt out an animal, I call after a while and check on the animal. I had a lady call me not too long ago balling b/c her iguana fell and broke its leg and she couldn't pay to take it to the vet. She gave me the iguana and i took it to the vet. She's thinking about getting somehting smaller and less active after that experience. My electric bill runs about 250. Before i started the rescue it was about 60. I by no means want to make a profit, if thats what i wanted I would be breeding to sell not rescuing. I do breed. I've talked with Bob Clark about his Retic/Burm mix. and he's given me some pointers on how to do that. There are people that will gladly pay 2000 for one of these animals. I saw a ball python for 20,000! i saw a burm/rock pythong for 102,000!!!!!!! its crazy. I haven't ever gotten anything 'fancy' i rarely get blood pythons, b/c they cost more to buy in the first place. red tails, and iguanas are running rampant around here. as well as "giants". We just spent over 2000 to convert our garage into something suitable for reptiles all year. they have a wonderful AC out there and the garage is more comfortable than my HOUSE! I do ship animals, so long as its legal. I ask ANYONE that wants me to ship them an animal to email me thier laws for that state. I do look it up myself to make sure its accurate. There are several states you aren't allowed to have 'exotics'. I wont ship there. and of course, they have to pay shipping. I'm about to take an albino burm that cannot be shipped from TN. (I'm in Oklahoma). I'm going to meet the guy half way. thats a 2 day drive for me. She's 20 ft and weight a TON. so theres no logical way to ship her with out spending 500 $. I'd rather spend 150 on gas and give her a great home.
As far as people that resell thier adopted animals. It pisses me off. I am pretty careful who i let adopt my animals. I have an adoption application. you can see it on my website. I wish there was a way that i could insure that the animal wont be sold, but thats just not possible. I do my best to call and make sure they're doing ok. I email them and people are thrilled that I check in with them. The biggest problem I have with other rescues is this: There are a lot of people that wont let you adopt a reptile b/c they have children or rent. i think its the most rediculous thing in the world. I rent and i have children. There are other people that got to thier houses and look at thier cages before they can adopt. If i have a funny feeling about someone, i'll go check or have them email me a picture. Nobody has ever objected. I did have someone that wanted to adopt a 15 ft. burm from me and let it free roam in their house with small kids. i said no. I only have one 'giant' in the house and he is under lock and key 24/7. There is no possible way for him to get out of his cage. any other giants i get or anything with an attitude goes in the garage. We ahve a quarantine room in the house which is also under lock and key 24/7. I'm sure there are a million people out there that just want to come over here and take my kids. My mom works for DHS and believe me would have taken my kids by now if she thought they were in danger. There are very expensive salmonella tests out there. I've had salmonella 3 times. once when i worked at a pet store, once while i was pregnant, and once a few months ago. Its not fun AT ALL!! believe me. I dont take antibiotics for it or anything like that. I pop tylenol all day and immodium (sp*) and get over it in about a week. My kids have never had it, neither has my husband. (neither of them clean cages either). I see no problem with kids and repitles. Im NOT saying everyone should go out and buy an anaconda the day thier first child is born. thats stupid too. like i said, my giants aren't even in the house. I have about 15 small cages in the house ranging from 10 gal. tanks to 120 gal. tanks. I also have 2 custom cages. one is 8ft tall, 4ft wide and 2ft. deep. the other is 2 bookshelves screwed together. with doors on the front. 5 cages in one. its great. they're all sealed seperatly and only used for boas (so IBD doesnt get transferred anywhere). I guess what im saying is i'm like you. I dont think people should be charging 200 $ for an animal that they wanted to resuce in the first place. I have huge vet bills and electric bills and everything like that. my fees aren't that outragous, if i even have a fee. I choose to live in a poor neighborhood so i can rescue herps...
Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

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