Hiss-toric victory for reptiles!
8 April 2022
HISS-TORIC VICTORY FOR REPTILES!
Born Free is delighted with the decision of Doncaster Council to no longer allow the International Herpetological Society (IHS) to host their reptile fair at Doncaster Racecourse once contractual obligations end in June this year.
Born Free is delighted with the decision of Doncaster Council to no longer allow the International Herpetological Society (IHS) to host their reptile fair at Doncaster Racecourse once contractual obligations end in June this year. It is hoped such activities are now consigned to the past where they belong.
While the IHS claims to exist to promote reptile and amphibian care and research, they fail to acknowledge how their events, which happen four times per year, are harmful to wild animals. Many of which are soon to be recognised as sentient beings, which can experience pain, fear and distress, in UK law. During their events, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates are kept in stressful conditions, often confined to “takeaway containers” without sufficient water or shelter. The captive breeding of exotic animals by hobbyists in order to flog them like merchandise has no place in today’s society.
As highlighted in our recent report ‘The Exotic Pet-Demic’ the captive breeding and keeping of wild animals potentially poses risks to human health as well as subjecting the animals involved to extreme suffering.
Despite supporters of IHS claiming on social media that Doncaster Council’s decision is “pandering to the minority”, over 75,000 members of the public called on Doncaster Racecourse to end their cruel wildlife market in June 2020. By contrast, IHS currently caters for approximately 750 members in the UK and overseas.
Born Free continues to lobby for the review and improvement of laws regarding the private keeping of exotic pets and Dangerous Wild Animals.