Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Buying a sick uro to try and save it is certainly an understandable, big-hearted, compassionate thing to want to do. But the cold hard reality is that doing so might actually accomplish the opposite of what you really want by encouraging the vendor to repeat their performance. Your dollars actually reinforce the action as profitable. Ideally you might convince the merchant that displaying a sick animal actually hurts their image and they should give it to you to attempt rehab. Admittedly, this is a longshot but may be one scenario that gives a chance to the animal without dooming more of it's brethren. An attempt at education should also be tried but requires a calm personlity in the face of what is sometimes closed minds, arrogance and insults. Personally, I have a diificult time keeping my emotions in check in those situations and all genuine communication and learning ceases when tempers rise. Contacting appropriate law enforcement or protection groups may be a last resort.
Our "vote" with our wallets is just as important as what we do at the ballot box. When we spend money at the store that is neglecting animals we also miss the opportunity to support the other store in town that is doing it right. If you know a petshop that takes care of it's animals properly ( or at least TRIES to learn and will listen to suggestions) and gives out proper care instructions then encourage them with your patronage. Tell your friends about them. Get your other supplies there, too. They need and deserve your help to survive. Every tank, cricket or vitamin you buy from the scumbags supports more animal abuse.
Whew! excuse my rambling, I guess I just had to get that off my chest.
Lindsay

I couldn't agree more! I work for the investigations department of our local Humane Society and we recently successfully prosecuted a pet store owner for keeping a pair of Mali uros in a dark tank on damp sand substrate with hermit crabs as cage mates...Needless to say the lizards were thin, and both had developed nasty bacterial infections on their stomachs...our complainant, after unsuccessfully trying to educate the store owner, DID buy the two lizards to save them, but she also alerted us, faxed us photos of the lizard's wounds, and agreed to testify at the hearing...Although she paid the pet store owner for the uros, he ultimately ended up paying much more in fines than he made on the lizards...

P.S. one uro died as a result of the conditions he was kept under, the other one survived and is doing well...

SR