"I personally am not for it, but if people do it, Are they any worse than those of us who "fix" our pets?"

Spaying and neutering mammals is done for humane reasons, to prevent the birth of unwanted animals that may suffer because they cannot be properly cared for. Additionally it has demonstrable health benefits for some species. Some female mammals that are neither spayed nor bred are at extremely high risk for reproductive disorders. Neutered males are at lowered risk for injuries from fighting or being killed on the road.

Venomoiding is much more comparable to declawing or debarking, cosmetic procedures that benefit only the owner and not the animal. Additionally, not too many dog and cat dealers are hacking up their own animals in the garage without pain medication for profit. There have been a few, and they have been arrested and convicted of cruelty to animals and of practicing veterinary medicine without a license.

If the law was enforced equitably in reptile cases as well as for cute fuzzy dogs and cats, a lot of amateur venomoiders would be doing some jail time or at least paying heavy fines. It is more difficult (though not impossible) to get officials to pay attention to cases of cruelty to venomous snakes.

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• I see alot of the... - bachman, Sun May 16 01:19:17 2004
• RE: I see alot of the... - MsTT, Sun May 16 12:07:27 2004
• RE: I see alot of the... - copperheadkid, Sun May 16 19:29:07 2004