Reporting animal abuse/neglect - help please? DUW

[SecurityStacey]

Are you also not seeing the main problem? FOUR beardies in a small tank, that is a recipe for disaster. You shouldn't even have ONE beardie that size in a tank that small. Not to mention I highly doubt she gives them the correct uvb and supplements, or the right amount of food. I can't believe that those are still alive, im guessing that they are all the same sex because if not she will have dead beardies very soon.
Id keep going but I do not want to write a caresheet...

To the op- Maybe ask if you can help change/correct things? And if they refuse your help then do something.

Thanks for that information - like I said Idon't know anything about bearded dragons and I didn't know if that was normal practice or not.

I'd like to try to help them - but that won't change all the animals he has living in his house which is unhealthy for both the animals and his children. Also, I'm worried that I won'tbe able to help with that much change - this was a tiny facility - theyhave a 11 acre or so farm with many more of the animals and then several keep them in their home- even with my help I honestly don't think they have the manpower or abilities to properly care for all these animals. I'm really trying to figure out the best way to do this for everyone involved, especially the animals.

[TheMolenater2]

This sounds like a case where a person is lonley so they take in a lot of animals. There are so many she doesn't have time to take care of them and doesn't know she is doing harm. Good luck helping the animals.

[SecurityStacey]

Also - the lady was telling me the "plans" for this organization and they are all over the place. I have no doubt that it will run itself into the ground in a couple years - and then what will happen to all the animals?

[SecurityStacey]

This sounds like a case where a person is lonley so they take in a lot of animals. There are so many she doesn't have time to take care of them and doesn't know she is doing harm. Good luck helping the animals.

Its an organization - and from what she is telling me they have in the hundreds of animals between the 4 of them.

[frankykeno]

Stacey, since none of us were there to see (and likely smell) the state these animals were kept in, in the end it's going to be your gut instinct that gives you the right answer. If your gut says those animals were being improperly or even inhumanely kept then you likely want to let someone know. If they are "licensed" then notify that licensing agency (Fish & Game or whatever). Let your local animal protection agency know about your concerns.

Considering these folks do educational shows, if they are bringing animals that live in their own feces and moldy caging to shows, and allowing child to touch these animals, then a health concern to humans could also be present.

[RoyalGuardian]

it started as hoarding then they got a license so it didn't look so bad to the public is my veiw.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Maybe I am just confused. What did you volunteer for? If everything were perfect and all the cages were clean... what exactly would you be volunteering to do?

Why would you want to turn them in?! they accepted YOU as a volunteer! That means:

#1 they know and admit they need help.
#2 they want YOU to help!

I think you even beginning to consider contacting the authorities at this point would be a knee jerk reaction. As you are "volunteering...." clean the tanks! help them fine tune their setups! Help them develop a schedule so things don't get so bad again! If you THINK you know something they don't tell them.

Now I am not suggesting that there are not things that obviously need to be corrected here, but also remember the golden rule.... don't assume your way of doing things is the only right way.

[SecurityStacey]

Maybe I am just confused. What did you volunteer for? If everything were perfect and all the cages were clean... what exactly would you be volunteering to do?

Why would you want to turn them in?! they accepted YOU as a volunteer! That means:

#1 they know and admit they need help.
#2 they want YOU to help!

I think you even beginning to consider contacting the authorities at this point would be a knee jerk reaction. As you are "volunteering...." clean the tanks! help them fine tune their setups! Help them develop a schedule so things don't get so bad again! If you THINK you know something they don't tell them.

Now I am not suggesting that there are not things that obviously need to be corrected here, but also remember the golden rule.... don't assume your way of doing things is the only right way.

I actually volunteered to help with the computer and website side of it - she was showing me the animals to give me an idea of what they do. I was excited about the animals when I asked about volunteering and she told me that they have enough people for the animals and that they were looking for volunteers that were computer savvy to help with that.

[frankykeno]

Well if they think they have "enough" people I wonder what these "enough" people are doing since by what you said, it sure ain't cleaning tanks.

Look even if I was overwhelmed, I'd still bloody well tidy up the critters before I'd take a volunteer or anyone else through. That's just nasty to show off your animals while they sit there in their own waste products! However, since you were volunteering to do computer stuff and not direct animal care and by this person's response, well it sounds like they think their conditions are just nifty.

Like I said before, if your assessment is these animals are neglected or being cared for incorrectly....report these people. We don't need "educators" that can't educate themselves on proper husbandry for each species they keep.

[PJ FF]

i would agree with luna in that they sound like horders. it might have started out with the best of intentions, then got out of hand, or they liked the attention that the "exotics" were bringing them. i would call aspca and tell them what you know. have them do a "drop in" where they arnt notified of an inspection, cuz if they know its going to happen, im sure they clean up in a hurry. best of luck

ASPCA is going to need a search warrant and what is provided here is not nearly enough for that. It looks like the licenseing agency is going to be the NY Dept. of Environmental Services and they will be more than happy to look into it as I have talked with some of there officers. Good luck and.. cheers'