What inspired you to create Reptile Rescue?
My inspiration for Reptile Rescue came from my little bearded dragon Tiamat (he is always remembered and always loved). When I first got him he was only 1mth old and came from a breeder. Unfortunately he had a severe parasite infection - he had both cryptosporidium and coccidia. All his siblings had died by the age of 2 mths but Tiamat consistently beat the odds and kept on going. I spent 24hrs caring for him and never gave up on him. He was hospitalized several times and kept bouncing back. He was such a happy, loveable little guy, no matter how sick he was - he had such a zest for life. He went for several months without being ill - he consistently amazed and baffled the vets. Unfortunately, several days before Christmas, when he was 8mths old, he succombed to the parasite infection - just a few short hours before I was to take him back to the vet for a check-up. I was devastated and was left feeling empty inside. Nothing gave me more pleasure in life than helping little Tiamat and making him feel better and loved - I spent as much time as possible with him either snuggling or hand feeding him, taking him outside to bask or go for walks... I wanted to do something in his memory - I could let his death go in vain. I owed it to him - so I now spend my time helping as many reptiles as possible (and giving all my "babies" the same love and care that Tiamat got). No reptile should go unloved and not cared for properly - we brought them into this life, and now it is our responsibility to care for them. I want to pick up the pieces for these critters and give them the life that my own pets have - I want to prevent them from suffering as well.
So there you have it - my driving force and inspiration: Tiamat.
How much is your adoption fee and what does it cover for the person or family adopting a reptile?
We have a standard $25 adoption fee for all reptiles that come through the program. For the family/individual that is adopting the reptile, this will include a very grateful reptile, a custom care package (if needed) and on-going support from us. We never abandon a family/person with a reptile once they adopt it. We are and always will be here 24-7 for the adopters and the adopted reptiles. We are always checking up on the reptiles and the family to make sure the transition is going smoothly and that everyone and everything is adjusting alright. We periodically check in as well, later on down the road. We operate very differently from your local animal shelter where you can adopt an animal - once you leave their doors that is it - unless you contact them. We take the intiative here to contact the family. It is this on-going support (even 5 yrs down the road we will be here for them) that people really appreciate. No question is ever too small or inconvienent for us - we encourage the families to keep in contact with us. All these reptiles, once they enter our program, are seen like members of our ever-expanding family and we want to ensure the best possible life for them.
What types of reptiles come in to the program?
We have teamed up with animal shelters across Ontario and take in whatever reptiles they pick up. Some of these reptiles are picked off the streets, out of people's homes or even picked up from apartments when people have been evicted and left their pet's behind. We also take in reptiles that are dumped at the doors of pet stores or even passed onto veterinarians. Some reptiles come to us in quite interesting ways like the anole that was found running across a warehouse floor - he had hitched a ride on some tropical plants! We also take in people's pets that they no longer want or can care for - instead of them releasing them outside (which is very common) where they will die or be injured.
We have got in all sorts of reptiles into the program, with over 85% of them being iguanas. Some of the reptiles that we have taken in and adopted out include: bearded dragons, burmese pythons, ball pythons, chameleons, fat tail geckos, tortoises, milksnakes, cornsnakes, skinks, anoles, caimans, water monitors, savannah monitors...and the list goes on!
A majority of the reptiles are either sick or injured in some way. A lot of the iguanas have a moderate-severe case of the Metabolic Bone Disease. We have had reptiles with missing limbs - including a full grown male iguana whose tail was sawed off at the base. Several reptiles, including a water monitor, had severe broken backs. We have taken in quite a few snakes with deliberately broken necks. We even had a little bearded
dragon, Sunny, that was left in a barn over the winter with no food, water heat or light - he had a severe case of MBD, but we were able to place him in a loving adoptive home where he spent the last 2 weeks of his life
recieving all the love and comfort possible. Unfortunately, he did succumb to his injuries and illness - this death hit us very hard around here.
But we have had several reptiles that were perfectly healthy, and for whatever reason, their owners no longer wanted them. This rarely happens though - most of the the reptiles are in dire straits and need immediate medical attention - and lots of extra love.
What reptiles can you not allow into the program and why?
We will accept all reptiles into the Reptile Adoption Program - there are no restrictions anymore. However, that does not mean that we will house them all at our facilities. We must abide by city by-laws in what we can house here, and also have to take into consideration safety and health issues. For example, we will not house any venomous reptiles or crocodilians here as they are too dangerous and belong only in places with the proper facilities. What we do with these reptiles is locate the proper facilities for them to be placed into and make all the necessary arrangements to get them there.
What sort of screening process do you do on potential adopters and adoptees of your program?
We have a very strict application process here - we do not release a reptile to just anyone who wants one and regularly turn down several applications. We are here solely for the wellbeing of the reptile - it would not be fair to rescue a reptile and then place it in a situation where it will be abused, neglected or even abandoned again - that in itself is cruel.
Essentially, have several requirements that all potential adopters must meet before we release a reptile into their custody:
1. That they will not breed the reptile
2. That they have a proper enclosure set-up and functioning properly
3. They must have all the necessary food and supplements on hand and be able to have regular access to them
4. They must be able to provide medical treatment whether it is required immediately, or even later on down the road if the need arises
5. That they can handle an aggressive reptile (ie male iguanas tend to get ornery during breeding season)
6. And most importantly, that they realize that this is a long term committment for the life of the reptile - some of which can live 25 yrs - and that they fully know what they are getting into.
We make sure that they are going into loving homes where they will get the care and attention that they need and deserve. We also have all adopters sign a 3 page contract, which stipulates, among other things that:
a) They agree to take the reptile to an experienced reptile veterinarian for a general physical examination and treatment if required
b) They agree to follow the rules and regulations in their city/municipality in which this reptile will be housed
c) They are to provide the appropriate housing, food, water, light, heat, humidity, exercies and medical care
d) The reptile is not to be used for research purposes but is to be kept as a household reptile
e)They agree to return the reptile to us if they can no longer care for the reptile
f) We are allowed to go in an inspect the reptile within one year of adoption and can reclaim the reptile if the reptile is not being properly cared for.
Our goal is to place reptiles into loving family environments, where they will be seen as pets, and not part of collections and breeding projects. We are here to give them a second chance at the life they never got before.
Could you briefly describe how the tremendous response to the Reptile Rescue has blossomed to this success in such a short time? Would you say the media (Television) has been the best tool?
The response that we have gotten to Reptile Rescue has been unbelievable and has surpassed our wildest expectations. We really did not think that it would blossom so quickly! We have been very fortunate to have a great deal of exposure in the media through quite a few television appearances and plenty of newspaper exposure. However, the Internet has been one of our most powerful tool in spreading the word out our Reptile Adoption Program. We are contacted from people looking to adopt a reptile from around the
world and throughout Canada and the US daily. The other most valuable tool we have is word of mouth - that alone makes the biggest difference in my eyes. When we first started this program, we approached our local animal shelter and told them that if they ever get any reptiles in we would be pleased to help them out. We thought we would spend most of our time educating people. Well, during that first month, we received 3 iguanas from them - this was in June of 1999. By December of the same year, we ended up with helping over 125 reptiles! Our geographical area spread at a tremendous rate - even to the point that I am now locating homes for reptiles within the US. We also take in reptiles from a variety of sources now.
The program that we offer is quite unique and it is an issue that very few people ever think about. Once we open their eyes to the situation, they all get involved and help out in any way they can.
What is your main message to those first time reptile pet owners out there?
Reptiles are living creatures and rely 100% on us for their survival in captivity. We urge people to be responsible reptile owners and to make a life-long committment to give their reptiles the best possible life. Research the reptile that you are interested in thoroughly and make sure that a reptile is really the right pet for you. We are here to help out in any way possible. Our goal is to prevent the abuse, abandonment, neglect
and mistreatment of reptiles. If we did not have to operate this program, I would be the happiest individual on the face of the earth!
