Victorian lost reptiles home, Animals found

[snakehandler]

I have anything to be jealous about, we are turning events down due being overbooked, my main issue with the concept is the mismanagment of it in the past, by a former demonstrator and the potential for this to happen again, I have requested and NOT received any formal notification of its existence from DSE. Some snake catchers in Melbourne will not send lost reptiles to the LRH due to these problems in the past and due to the current people running it and their feelings about them, this is a fact...as such it would be better handled by people not within the industry side of reptiles.

It has nothing to do the success or not of either individual, however an obvious series of conflicts of interest and potential abuse that can be avoided. My point about the VHS is that a committee member has vested interests in both the VHS and the LRH....another conflict of interest.

 

[AaronR]

Where is there any issue of conflict in a reptile getting the husbandry it needs! If this program did not existing again snakehandler I ask what would come of the herp's IMO DSE=euthanisisa LRH hope and home. Maybe snakehandler if you are so against varanid_mike and VHS LRH set your own program up for down your way and do it how you want, until then it is very easy for you to sit back a critise.
I must admit this agruement is really getting my back up as IMO this is a fantastic program. I also know of somebody who had there python returned through this program.

 

[whyme]

V MIKe i think its a great thing that your doing, especially springing from your own pocket. And to put an add up here advertising the lost reps may help a few people. To be honest, I didn't even know you guy's existed:shock:

 

[africancichlidau]

Where is there any issue of conflict in a reptile getting the husbandry it needs! If this program did not existing again snakehandler I ask what would come of the herp's IMO DSE=euthanisisa LRH hope and home. Maybe snakehandler if you are so against varanid_mike and VHS LRH set your own program up for down your way and do it how you want, until then it is very easy for you to sit back a critise.
I must admit this agruement is really getting my back up as IMO this is a fantastic program. I also know of somebody who had there python returned through this program.

Hear Hear!

 

[snakehandler]

If this is a VHS directed program, then by all means the reptiles that are not found new homes should be auctioned to assist in paying for their care and this should go to the organisation caring for them......I believe in the concept......I do not have the time to operate such a program, as has been stated, running around Melbourne most days at all hours......I am usually working, hence not suitable for such things......when i'm not working, I have my hands full with cleaning and fatherhood.....hats off to those who gave the time.

 

[DonkeyKong]

If this is a VHS directed program, then by all means the reptiles that are not found new homes should be auctioned to assist in paying for their care and this should go to the organisation caring for them......I believe in the concept......I do not have the time to operate such a program, as has been stated, running around Melbourne most days at all hours......I am usually working, hence not suitable for such things......when i'm not working, I have my hands full with cleaning and fatherhood.....hats off to those who gave the time.

So what exactly is your point?

 

[Khagan]

Gotta love APS, only place where someone posts up trying to get in contact with owners to return lost pets and gets attacked for their troubles :lol:.

 

[snakehandler]

My comments are not an attack on mike or the program itself, the concept is very good, excellent in fact....there were claims of abuse of the LRH in the past, threatening to derail it, last I heard the wish was to avoid other similar problems, avoid conflicts of interest. Claims were made that previous operators used the LRH to replace lost stock, assist friends and this resulted in a lack of trust by many snake catchers.....threatening a great concept......i don't want this to happen again, whether the claims are true or false as it is a program that works well and many ppl do get reunited with their loved animals, I don't want potential conflicts of interest to ruin such a thing.

 

[waruikazi]

So what exactly is your point?

Are you serious? His point is there is a conflict of interest.

I'll do interent talk to make it clearer.

Conflict of interest = Fail

 

[snakehandler]

As stated very early in the thread, great program, if it was run by wildlife shelters Independant of pet stores and demonstrators

 

[naledge]

I honestly can't think how it's legal to drive around stealing animals from the wild, if you take one shingleback you're potentially taking fifteen years of offspring because they mate for life.

How is it legal? I didn't think the government would allow something so devastating to the wild reptile population. Let me get this straight, you drive around all day, every day, taking wild animals from the bush, in the hopes that some of them are pets?

I'm all for saving injured animals, but something about this whole thing makes me feel dirty.

 

[snakehandler]

Naledge.....hold on there is no stealing done... The reptiles found are not indiginous to Melbourne and are lost pets.....the concept is to find the owner within a reasonable timeframe if not move them on and recoup costs.....NO theft

 

[naledge]

Naledge.....hold on there is no stealing done... The reptiles found are not indiginous to Melbourne and are lost pets.....the concept is to find the owner within a reasonable timeframe if not move them on and recoup costs.....NO theft

Yeah but even if they're not indigenous to Melbourne they're still taking animals from the wild, they may not be indigenous but they still could be living and breeding in the area, I don't like the idea of taking them from the wild at all.

They might not be pets, the guy running said himself that most of the animals are wild and get relocated, but if you relocate a shingleback that doesn't end up finding it's mate you've killed off countless lizards. I don't like it.

I think the concept is good, but the whole thing is flawed, I would be more willing to trust it if they had a way of finding out whether the animal was wild or a pet or if they were run by the council.

 

[eipper]

Anyone thinking about potenial for disease transmission????? I am in no way saying that this is the case but there is potenial for diseases/viral infections to pass from the LRH to rest of the community due to quarantine issues....I take it they are potenially "rehomed" inside 90 days if an owner comes forward????

Cheers,
Scott

 

[snakehandler]

The reptiles that are rehomed are not native to Melbourne, under the regulations in Vic they must be destroyed, the LRH attempts to link owners with lost animals.....animals not native to an area although native can be as destructive as pest species.

Scott, disease is a large reason why I would not accept one of these animals nor run such a program.....history of the LRH will clearly show that this has caused problems in the past.....I would not risk my collection for such a program.

 

[Sdaji]

Yeah but even if they're not indigenous to Melbourne they're still taking animals from the wild, they may not be indigenous but they still could be living and breeding in the area, I don't like the idea of taking them from the wild at all.

They might not be pets, the guy running said himself that most of the animals are wild and get relocated, but if you relocate a shingleback that doesn't end up finding it's mate you've killed off countless lizards. I don't like it.

I think the concept is good, but the whole thing is flawed, I would be more willing to trust it if they had a way of finding out whether the animal was wild or a pet or if they were run by the council.

If they are not indigenous they should be removed from the wild anyway. If the removal of a lizard from an area which is not supposed to be there causes hundreds of other lizards not coming into existance, it's an excellent thing.

I don't know where the allegations of wrongdoing come from, but raising them on this forum probably should not be done unless you are going to substantiate it, otherwise it constitutes an unfair attack on the previous owner of the Lost Reptiles Home license. If the allegations are correct and those making them want to substantiate what they are saying, fine, I won't stand in your way, but what you are currently doing is a case of slander.

For the record, I have no idea what Mike is doing with the license or how good a job he is doing, I am neither defending nor attacking him. As far as I know, the previous owner was not abusing the license, but obviously I don't watch him constantly and can't make any personal guarantees.

The conflict of interest does clearly exist, and I think it would be much more appropriate for any animals which are to be sold to be done so through a publicly transparent system. A system which would allow a person the ability to catch any species and 'make it legally held' then sell it or give it to their mate seems inherrantly problematic. If the collected species were put up for auction on a public website with proceeds going to the relevant deparment, or if a ballot system was in place as it is in NSW it would seem more fair and less open to abuse. Perhaps a certain dollar amount could go towards the lost reptiles home to cover expenses, and this could be taken out of the animal sales, with any further money going to the department. These measures seem fairly basic in terms of legal soundness, and are easy to put in place. It wouldn't be difficult for an allowance to be put in there for animals to be sold through an organisation such as the VHS, VAAH, VFG etc as long as those organisations were financially transparent and not for profit.

 

[geckos]

Good Work

Varamid_Mike,
Regardless of any 'conflict of interest' suggestions, and other questions raised, the post before mine pretty much sums it all up.
I would just like to add that it is a shame you are not getting as many replies,regarding the actual welfare of the animals you have.I hope they are all well.You dont deserve to be interigated as to your intentions,Youve obviously gone to the trouble of helping out some desperate animals, and I dont doubt you have good intensions,posting that your looking for owners.
Im thinking, diseased, animals are euthaneised, can you clarify how you get on with the the 90 day quarantine period.Are new animals,kept seperate ect,
I am very interested in knowledge about snake handling and I am considering volunteering at NSW Reptile Park, or another one in the Hunter Valley.
Althouth interesting,I find these post concerning,profit,conditions ect unneccesary unless the person is going to aquire one of your animals,or otherwise take their suggestive concerns to the authorities.
Not sure why, but APS,users,seem to take the objectional view first ,and address the post's real intensions last, I suppose thats what freedom of speach and forums are for,and i think any disscussion is better than none when it comes to learning. Good luck in the future.Helena

 

[AaronR]

I think some people are just trying to knit pick at the program if you are looking for faults in something not matter what you will always find them.

 

[herptrader]

With global warming and the like the home range of many species have the potential to move. While long necks may not have been in the Melbourne basin (or the peninsular) in noticeable numbers a century or so ago that does not mean that they could not migrate here of their own accord though I agree the most likely explanation is escaped pets. If that were the case though why would we not see Mary River and other species that were once popular in the pet trade and could conceivably do well in our (warming) climate.

 

[richardsc]

nit picking on aps??????surely not,lol

snakehandler,u say its a good cause if run by wildlife shelters independent of petstores/demonstrators????have any put there hands up to do it????im sure if the lrh can do it,others can to,most wildlife shelters are mammal avian based,and not well clued as to how to care for reptiles