Im making a documentary

[scorps]

I hope this is the right section...

Over the next few weeks I will be visiting pet stores and gathering pictures and information on how they keep their animals and mistreat them, also how they misinform costumers ect. If you have any pictures/video that you would like me to include inform me, you will get the credit for your peice, or if you have any bad stories you would like me to share... I cant gurentee that your video/pictures will make it in but I will try... I just want to inform the general public about pet stores.

 

[bchbum11]

I know we like to bag on the LPS about misinformation and bad care among ourselves. My concern with any kind of documentary about it is that it could be used as ammunition by groups that want to completely ban exotics. Think about it... Even though we may know better, most on the street will probably think something along the lines of 'Well, if (insert big name pet store here) doesn't know how to properly care for these animals, what chance does the average person have to do so?'. While I agree that most LPS's don't have any business keeping the animals we love, I'm not sure that pointing that fact out to the masses will have a positive impact on our hobby. It'll only serve to reinforce what those in the hobby already know at the expense of further alienation of those that are on the fringe.

 

[scorps]

well I was thinking of having people in the hobby show the proper care, and it will not only be about their arachnids, My dad used to work at a petco and Ive seen the crap all the animals went through... luckily the manager knew that my dad knew how to care for the animals yet they wernt allowed to chand the conditions the animals were in so the manager would right an animal off as dead and give it to my dad, it wasnt really dead, we pretty much owed a zoo

I know we like to bag on the LPS about misinformation and bad care among ourselves. My concern with any kind of documentary about it is that it could be used as ammunition by groups that want to completely ban exotics. Think about it... Even though we may know better, most on the street will probably think something along the lines of 'Well, if (insert big name pet store here) doesn't know how to properly care for these animals, what chance does the average person have to do so?'. While I agree that most LPS's don't have any business keeping the animals we love, I'm not sure that pointing that fact out to the masses will have a positive impact on our hobby. It'll only serve to reinforce what those in the hobby already know at the expense of further alienation of those that are on the fringe.

 

[pitbulllady]

Bchbum11 is absolutely right, Scorps. Right now, the LAST thing we need is yet-another "expose'" on how cruel, evil, greedy, etc., people who sell animals-ANY kinds of animals-are. Regardless of your actual intentions, it will inevitably wind up being yet-another bullet fired into the hobby and another nail in our collective coffin. Even if you DO include correct and positive information from dedicated hobbiests, it will be forgotten and people will only remember the negative. The negative will be taken out of context by the AR's and used to justify eliminating ALL trade in "exotic" animals. People who are serious about keeping animals like this already know about the national chains like Petco, so there's no point in reinventing the wheel, so to speak. Why don't you make a documentary focusing on people who are absolutely dedicated to these animals, and who successfully keep and breed "exotics"? We need positive press, big-time, not more negative. HSUS, PeTA, ASPCA, Born Free USA and all the other AR groups are already providing enough of that.

pitbulllady

 

[scorps]

good point, I will deffinetly put that into context

Bchbum11 is absolutely right, Scorps. Right now, the LAST thing we need is yet-another "expose'" on how cruel, evil, greedy, etc., people who sell animals-ANY kinds of animals-are. Regardless of your actual intentions, it will inevitably wind up being yet-another bullet fired into the hobby and another nail in our collective coffin. Even if you DO include correct and positive information from dedicated hobbiests, it will be forgotten and people will only remember the negative. The negative will be taken out of context by the AR's and used to justify eliminating ALL trade in "exotic" animals. People who are serious about keeping animals like this already know about the national chains like Petco, so there's no point in reinventing the wheel, so to speak. Why don't you make a documentary focusing on people who are absolutely dedicated to these animals, and who successfully keep and breed "exotics"? We need positive press, big-time, not more negative. HSUS, PeTA, ASPCA, Born Free USA and all the other AR groups are already providing enough of that.

pitbulllady

 

[lizardminion]

Looks like pitbulllady stole my words. (and made them more specific and informative) I also agree with the idea.
Instead of showing the world that people are irresponsible when caring for exotics, show everyone that people can properly take care of an exotic pet and that the irresponsible people should follow in their footsteps. You don't want to make a mistake like such a negative vid that you think would help only to have it backfire. Consider who else might watch it. If you want to do something positively contributing to the hobby, make a documentary on how to do it right, and start a movement to spread info on correct care and move pet stores to enforce this as well.

Main point: Don't contribute to making the U.S. a dog and cats only pet-place; help it be like the UK where pet reptiles outnumber the amount of pet dogs.[SUP][1][/SUP]