Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys,
I live in edmonton alberta canada, and I need to know where i can report animal neglect. A petstore near my house has leos with hip bones and ribs showing, and it makes me sick everytime i go in there. They need to learn somehow, they never feed the babies. Really, why the heck should they have the right to keep beautiful animals like leos if they're gunna neglect and kill them. Another thing I find cruel is if they dont have adult mice, they often TRY to sell the HAMSTERS as feeders, anything to make a buck, sick. Im only 14, but I've convinced my dad to help me report to somebody who can do something about it. It really sucks though, because its stores like those who ruin it for everyone. This is why herps are being banned as pets in so many places. The two major factors i think is animal neglect, people that dont take proper care, and irresponsible people who decide to let their snakes out for an afternoon walk. If we want to continue to keep them, we have to put an end to this crap. Luckily I dont beleive their gunna bann herps like leos, but I can see large snakes and monitors, animals that pose a threat to safety. It isnt fair to those who keep them in properly locked enclosers, but seriously, I'd rather not have any herps than for this neglect and cruelty to go on. Sorry for the long post,
Mac

Well, I can't tell you where to report them to, but I do have some ideas if you can't find any authorities on this.

First step is to talk to the owners, if you haven't already. Give them a chance to fix this up, and make sure you let them know that you'll be back to check regularly and that you feel very strongly about this. Inform them that they're only losing business that way.

Now, if they don't do anything about it, you can go to the store a couple of days a week and stand outside with a large sign, or letting people know about the store's sick animals (check with your local laws first ). Tell your friends and anyone you know who's interested in herps about the fact that they mistreat their animals, and ask to see if anyone can help you boycott and picket this place. Obviously, you'd want your parents' support for this, so don't jump the gun and ask them what they think first.

You can write a letter to local officials. Where I am, I'd probably write to the Mayor or a Congressman/woman, although I don't know much about Canada, lol. Just think to go for as local as you can, since government officials with larger territories will have bigger problems, obviously.

Anyway, good luck with your quest and let me know how it goes. It's great to hear you're standing up for these guys, so bravo
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

How feeding a snake a hamster is sickening.

That's not much different than a mouuse or rat.People feed rabbits, guinea pigs and gerbils to animals as feeders too. That's just how things go.

Either way...if you have some sort of humane society in Canada, that's your first bet on where to complain to.
Otherwise, cheshirey's advice might help.

I'm gunna see if I can write a letter to the mayor or something, see if theres any humane societies, ect, thankss for the advice.
I guess your right on the hamster thing, its not sickening, its just those are bred for being pets, and I dont think the people they got them from would want them to be fed to a snake. Later
Mac

Hamsters ARE a little high in fat...
If they got the hamsters from their wholesalers, the wholesalers breed them the same way the mice are bred and don't really care. They're just livestock to the wholesalers. If the hamsters used to be the pets of private individual, given up for whatever reason, then that would unethical. The line between 'pet' and 'food' is much fuzzier than many people would like to think.

I don't really care for it either, but that's the breaks! I work at a pet store, and we don't like to sell hamsters or gerbils as feeders, but sometimes people have snakes that won't touch mice or rats. I guess you have to turn your cheek. You can try all you want to report the pet store, but I'm afraid, for the most part, your complaints will fall on deaf ears. It's good that you feel pasionately though! I feel the same way, but that's life...