Frustration!

[snakehandler]

Sorry about this but it needs to be said to the people within the reptile community....

READ YOUR PERMITS!

If you have a private license, not a commercial license then do the right thing and leave your pets at home, in the states that require appropriate permits to go to schools we are finding an increasing number of private owners going into the local schools and doing demonstrations, not only is this a violation of your permit conditions, which can result in the confiscation of your loved pets, it is also a risk to yourself and other around you.

If something should happen and a person is injured, not just from a bite but from a fear response then you can be sued, this is why there is a requirement to have public liability insurance, government schools require a minimum of $10,000,000 cover.....the school also can be held liable.

So parents and teachers with private wildlife licenses do the right thing, read your permit conditions and follow what is in them....btw ignorance is NO defense.

We have been told recently by the Education Department that many schools in Victoria have banned animals coming into the school unless for a structured class, this includes pets such as bearded dragons, mice, rats, birds, cats and dogs.....leave demonstrations of animals to those with the permits, insurance and hopefully knowledge to conduct such sessions.

 

[beatlloydy]

If something should happen and a person is injured, not just from a bite but from a fear response then you can be sued, this is why there is a requirement to have public liability insurance, government schools require a minimum of $10,000,000 cover.....the school also can be held liable.

Understand where you are coming from...but I find it ludicrous that someone can sue due to fear response from a snake...My daughter is scared of large dogs ...does that mean she can sue owners of large, unrestrained dogs?.

Perhaps having snakes in public more can assist in eliminating fear response...I am not suggesting we break laws and take snakes out but perhaps the laws need to be looked at...why is one species of animal less of a risk than others...the risk of a bite from a small to medium sized python is far less than from a dog ..a dog has the potential to kill...yet archaic laws still permit large, dangerous dogs to be kept and indeed taken out in public.

For those that have people who have shown an interest in snakes (or even those that say the only good snake is a dead one), why not invite them around and show them your snakes in your own environment? Unless they are elapids I believe this is well within the law.

Some of those that only like dead snakes or have that fear response would surely change their minds if they handled a hatchling/juvenile spotted or stimsons.

 

[Bushfire]

Understand where you are coming from...but I find it ludicrous that someone can sue due to fear response from a snake...My daughter is scared of large dogs ...does that mean she can sue owners of large, unrestrained dogs?.

In short, yes. Using your daughter as an example, say she is out in a park where a large, unrestrained dog is about with its owner, in response to your daughters fear she runs away and somehow injuired the owner of that dog can be sued for causing that accident. The same applies for reptiles even in a class room.

 

[otomix]

I'm scared of the police, If I see them behind me in traffic and drive away fast and crash, will I be able to sue them because of my fear response?

What a load of turd.

 

[snakehandler]

Schools are supposed to be a safe place, one of the reasons dogs are being banned too is to reduce this same chance of a fear response......if you are worried about the police....stop breaking the law

 

[percey39]

I could not agree more about this subject. It is quite frustrating reading about people walking down the road with snakes around them or taking them to show their childs friends at school. If this behaviour does continue i do believe the question will be proposed to limit reptile licenses, which is no good for some of the people starting out in this hobby.

 

[CodeRed]

What is the world comming to where people sue over every little thing. Lawyers are probably reading this and rubbing their hands with glee.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Unfortunatly codered, this is a sign of the times and litigation and lawers are thriving.
The days are gone when a kid can take his or her pet to school.
You would think in the hands of a responsible adults though, show and tell could include showing of your beardy or python,dog cat, rat, chook whatever.

 

[Peterwookie]

My Son would love to to have me take in a Childrens Python for show & tell he has been asking for 3 years now at 7 he just dosent understand the law's or rules and I know most of the kids in his class have asked him to bring it in to see ... I rember my dad bringing in a Diamond for me for show & tell it is S%#@ that I cant do the sam for my son How times change !!!!

 

[dtulip10]

Unfortunatly codered, this is a sign of the times and litigation and lawers are thriving.
The days are gone when a kid can take his or her pet to school.
You would think in the hands of a responsible adults though, show and tell could include showing of your beardy or python,dog cat, rat, chook whatever.

yeah i could not agree more. i remember when i was 6 mum and dad brought in some alpacas for show and tell, and i used to catch blue tongues and beardies on the way to school and take them to school to show the class, they used to love it. but these days people could sue me for not liking them, the world need to get over it self sometimes.

but snakehandler i do agree with you if you have paid for the licence to do exhibits than you should have the right over every one else.

 

[CodeRed]

my wife is a teacher and has taken snakes to my children's daycare (many years ago), but when she asked about doing another show and tell at my son's kindergarden the school's insurance company refused to cover it. Its such a shame as its the kids that miss out.

So what's the law say about kids who visit my house. My kids frequently bring their friends over to see the snakes. None of them have ever freaked out since they only get to touch the most placid animals (no scrubbies ). Actually it more likely to be one of the parents who is scared of snakes.

 

[Lovemydragons]

I think schools should have demonstrators come to show/teach the kids more often. I remember my primary school (long time ago now) used to have a guy by the name of Andrew Wagner come in once a year every year and bring along small crocs, snake, lizards, turtles etc and let us touch some. I would look forward to this every year and in a way think its probably what got me interested in herps. I'm not sure if the school still does something with the same guy or another demonstrator but would fantastic if more schools got involved with programs like these.

 

[snakehandler]

Nothing about your house....that is a private residence and the animals are licensed there...it is the parents responsibily to know the regulations and encourage the school to use licensed, qualifed and approved companies to do a program for the school....it's all part of responsible pet ownership

 

[Daryl_H]

quote removed

lol i always took almost anything i found to school lizards turtles and even 60 cm fresh water crays that could have taken all my fingers off in one go.... but its all part of show and tell and being a kid

Damed if ill stop my kids from doing the same thing when i have em

 

[snakehandler]

Hashbean, what a joke, its people like you that get things like reptiles in schools banned because you have no respect for the regulations, you will be the first to moan about it when the authorities do something about it to you, but you will have no grounds to complain.

Demonstrators pay for the right to take animals to schools, pay for insurance, pay for working with children checks and all the other things, this is our livelihood, not just our hobby and people such as yourself make a mockery of the whole point of permits. I am sure many demonstrators in NSW would be very upset at hearing your statement, given the restrictions place on them that you as a private person do not have to abide by!

Cant get gigs, we are now having to turn down bookings, not only schools, but in other areas as we cannot staff the work we are getting, if you want to demonstrate animals, get a job doing it!

 

[snakehandler]

Show and tell is one thing, but to have people come in to do demonstrations is another. We have been at a school today, having to re-educate the class after a parent came in and gave a lesson on reptiles and the environment, the lack of knowledge this person displayed is astounding.

The other issue is that if people cannot abide by the current regulations then they will get tighter, or worse....just do the right thing!

 

[it_slithers]

I think what you ment to say snakehandler is STOP TAKING MY BUSINESS!!!

 

[Den from Den Pythons]

Hashbean, what a joke, its people like you that get things like reptiles in schools banned because you have no respect for the regulations, you will be the first to moan about it when the authorities do something about it to you, but you will have no grounds to complain.

Demonstrators pay for the right to take animals to schools, pay for insurance, pay for working with children checks and all the other things, this is our livelihood, not just our hobby and people such as yourself make a mockery of the whole point of permits. I am sure many demonstrators in NSW would be very upset at hearing your statement, given the restrictions place on them that you as a private person do not have to abide by!

I agree, all it will take is one incident to make the news and it will hinder the plight of many keepers to promote private reptile keepers in a positive light. "Pet python attacks student".... If an animal that is being displayed by a company bites a student that company will take the wrap, us private keepers will be left out of it...
Taking animals to school may seem innocent but people must be aware that reptiles are in essence wild, un-domesticated animals... All have the ability to bite even if they never have in their life.

I understand stand that people are keen to get a positive message out there BUT commercialised reptile awareness such as school and public displays should be left to licensed individuals.

 

[Funkstaa]

snake handler - I'm the nerdy type and not into rule breaking but I rang the epa after miss 5 asked to bring our herps in to show her class they said as long as we give them enough notice I can get permission to take them in for a morning, all I have to do is give them the number of kids in the class a time and an address.
I think education is the best way for censervation of our herps and I also think kids being the next generation of herp keepers should be introduced in a comfortable environment to them and given the facts.
I live in a rural area so for us it's a way of showing the kids the difference between captive and wildlife as there are too many backyard snakebites happening.
Would love to pick your brain if possible on age appropriate facts before we take ours in if your willing?

 

[snakehandler]

You are seeking authority....that's what I am wanting....do it the right way