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The SPCA in Mission BC keeps hassling Reptile Guy reptile rehab/rescue centre. They see animals that are not in good shape and they confiscate them. They do not seem to understand that a damaged reptile will take months to recover. Some will always look damaged. It is better to leave the reptile care to the reptile expert.

In this case I distinguish between someone who might have studied a bit about reptiles and someone who actually has reptiles and understands them. I doubt any SPCA has a reptile person in their midst. If they did they wouldn't have raided the reptile rescue.


http://www.missioncityrecord.com/news/360517431.html

One example of making concessions to SPCA people who don't know reptiles.  All the reptiles would have to have a visible water dish. Fact: Some reptiles DO NOT DRINK FROM A DISH.  They will lick water from the glass and leaves. So forget spending time cleaning their water dish. Use the time to spay water into the tank.   Some of the desert lizards do not drink, or seldom drink. They need chopped veggies and chopped fruit. Reptile people are forced to fuss with water dishes for animals that do not use them.
It is a matter of people who mean well knowing less than they think they do. They rush in to rescue animals that are fine and being well cared for and take them to a place where they will not get the right care and possibly not survive.

Do you think they would know how to help my Jake Krinkle Snake shed. Jake is a rescue and he can't be fixed, but he is well and well cared for. I do have to remove his shed skin very carefully. Years of working together have made it easy and Jake is thriving. He doesn't look good though.

The same would be true of the reptiles that were confiscated. I think any rescue reptiles should only be cared for by reptile people. We actually understand reptiles and know what they need.
This is very true, Catherine. Same applies to lots of types of creatures. My experience with the Guinea Pig rescue has shown me this. Sometimes volunteers go and "rescue" piggies from the big well known "organisation" that is supposed to know all about animals, but if you're not a cat, dog or rabbit then you have very little chance of even getting a place, sometimes.
No wonder the rescue is almost always full to bursting!
Little animals and unusual animals need their own rescues. Most people think dog and cat and that is fine. I don't think guinea pigs do well at shelters. It is intimidating for them. 

Reptiles just don't get the right care. Also people who are not familiar with reptiles are often a bit scared of them. They don't know how to feed them, how much to feed them and how often.

The water dish issue is a problem. You have to know how to give water. It isn't as easy as it looks.

I am glad that there are specialty rescues. Now we need to get the SPCA to leave them in peace.