PeterPann
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2019
- Messages
- 24
Some of you may have seen my thread about my Tokay Gecko that was in really bad shape last Saturday when I purchased him from Repticon. (http://arachnoboards.com/threads/tokay-gecko-help.317514/)
I'm not sure what to do at this point. I took my gecko (his name is rated R, so we'll call him bugger) to the vet and he had four different types of parasites, a mouth infection, severe dehydration, severely malnourished, a retained shed, two toes that may not make it because of said retained shed, and has missing/cracked teeth from signs of forced feeding.
I have been in contact with the vendor and they originally offered to send me up to $200 for the cost of vet bills, but no more than that. Then the next day they sent me another email that said they were only going to send me $30. Below is the email they sent me:
"What we as a company is willing to do is send you a $30 refund total - we are not willing to pay for your vet bill. The animal was in our care for only a matter of days, was shipped from a supplier and cleared to be shipped by their people. If you are not willing to accept this offer , then unfortunately we cant help you any further. There are many vendors at Repticon that have a no return and no refund policy... It is unfortunate that the animal was sent to us with these issues - though usually WC specimens are thin when sent in, and since it was sent to us, we believed that it was sent to us ready to be sold - we did not sell you an animal that had issues on purpose... $16 dollars is not worth that to us. That being said... If you have paypal, please send that information and we will send you that refund. Other than that, if you dont want that offer, it will have to be the end of our conversations."
I put that fragment in italicized bold because I will attach pictures that a vendor who sells reptiles should know that Bugger was not healthy. I asked questions about the spots on him and as a beginner, I didn't know what a Tokay's mouth was supposed to look like. I thought they had a tongue that slithered like a snake because of the shape of the sore on his mouth. I asked questions about his husbandry requirements and was given incorrect information that would have contributed to more health issues down the line. I was also not told that he was wild caught. The vendor, in hindsight, had no idea what he was talking about.
After doing some research about Repticon's vendors and also the Georgia Department of Agriculture, I have realized that the vendor I bought Bugger from has violated a few regulations:
Repticon:
Q. Are there restrictions about Wild-Caught Animals?
A. There is no restriction regarding the sale of legal, wild-caught animals. Exhibitors are not required to display any particular signage, but are required to disclose any pertinent information to interested guests, including whether a particular animal is wild-caught or captive bred.
**Bugger was not specified, I was told he was healthy despite me pointing out that he had a weird mark on his mouth. I asked if it was normal and the vendor danced around the question. In hindsight, that should have been a sign, but I was a very oblivious beginner who walked into that expo**
Q. Are there any restrictions on the products or animals that can be sold at Repticon?
A. All animals must be healthy and legal to sell within the state. Vendors who intentionally and repeatedly offer illegal or unhealthy animals for sale may be banned from future shows.
**Here's the kicker. Bugger was not healthy. This vendor has also had a license to sell reptiles since 2013. Pictures are attached from the night that I got him.**
GA Dept. of Agriculture:
Is there a "lemon law" in Georgia concerning pet purchases. How can I make sure I purchase a healthy pet?
Insist of a written purchase contract. It is recommended that persons take newly purchased pets to a veterinarian within 48-72 hours of purchase to have the animal checked by a licensed and accredited veterinarian of your choice. Purchase from licensed pet dealers only. You can request the inspection history information on a licensed establishment under the Georgia Open Records Act. Although there is no "lemon law" concerning pet purchases, the Animal Protection Section does investigate disease and health issues and selling under false pretenses.
Inspectors may issue stop sale/movement/use orders for failing to adhere to the standards set forth in the Animal Protection and Bird Dealers Licensing Act. Quarantines are issued when communicable disease is diagnosed, or when exposure to such disease is suspected. When quarantines are issued, all sick or exposed animals must be held in isolation and treated appropriately until a licensed veterinarian deems them free of disease.
Other penalties for non-compliance with the Georgia Animal Protection Act include licensee probation, revocation of licenses and/or monetary fines. Failure to comply with the Animal Protection Act or Bird Dealers Licensing Act is a misdemeanor.
**With the Dept. of Agriculture, it seems like I may not have a case for Bugger personally, but I plan on checking out their pet store and seeing if their animals look healthy or unhealthy**
What do I need to do to make this right? I plan on definitely calling the vendor out on selling an unhealthy animal--Ive already contacted Repticon... but does anyone with a bit more knowledge on the subject know more of what I can do?
I got screwed over pretty hard and I'm upset about that, but also for the other animals that were sold by that vendor who were also probably just as unwell. Am I wrong for thinking that it is the vendor's job to make sure that their products are healthy before being sold? You have to check inventory whether its live or inanimate before it is sold. I don't sell my customers bags of food with holes in them because I assumed the bag was good to go because our vendor gave it to us.
I'm not sure as to what I need to do at this point. But this guy's business model is messed up.
I'm not sure what to do at this point. I took my gecko (his name is rated R, so we'll call him bugger) to the vet and he had four different types of parasites, a mouth infection, severe dehydration, severely malnourished, a retained shed, two toes that may not make it because of said retained shed, and has missing/cracked teeth from signs of forced feeding.
I have been in contact with the vendor and they originally offered to send me up to $200 for the cost of vet bills, but no more than that. Then the next day they sent me another email that said they were only going to send me $30. Below is the email they sent me:
"What we as a company is willing to do is send you a $30 refund total - we are not willing to pay for your vet bill. The animal was in our care for only a matter of days, was shipped from a supplier and cleared to be shipped by their people. If you are not willing to accept this offer , then unfortunately we cant help you any further. There are many vendors at Repticon that have a no return and no refund policy... It is unfortunate that the animal was sent to us with these issues - though usually WC specimens are thin when sent in, and since it was sent to us, we believed that it was sent to us ready to be sold - we did not sell you an animal that had issues on purpose... $16 dollars is not worth that to us. That being said... If you have paypal, please send that information and we will send you that refund. Other than that, if you dont want that offer, it will have to be the end of our conversations."
I put that fragment in italicized bold because I will attach pictures that a vendor who sells reptiles should know that Bugger was not healthy. I asked questions about the spots on him and as a beginner, I didn't know what a Tokay's mouth was supposed to look like. I thought they had a tongue that slithered like a snake because of the shape of the sore on his mouth. I asked questions about his husbandry requirements and was given incorrect information that would have contributed to more health issues down the line. I was also not told that he was wild caught. The vendor, in hindsight, had no idea what he was talking about.
After doing some research about Repticon's vendors and also the Georgia Department of Agriculture, I have realized that the vendor I bought Bugger from has violated a few regulations:
Repticon:
Q. Are there restrictions about Wild-Caught Animals?
A. There is no restriction regarding the sale of legal, wild-caught animals. Exhibitors are not required to display any particular signage, but are required to disclose any pertinent information to interested guests, including whether a particular animal is wild-caught or captive bred.
**Bugger was not specified, I was told he was healthy despite me pointing out that he had a weird mark on his mouth. I asked if it was normal and the vendor danced around the question. In hindsight, that should have been a sign, but I was a very oblivious beginner who walked into that expo**
Q. Are there any restrictions on the products or animals that can be sold at Repticon?
A. All animals must be healthy and legal to sell within the state. Vendors who intentionally and repeatedly offer illegal or unhealthy animals for sale may be banned from future shows.
**Here's the kicker. Bugger was not healthy. This vendor has also had a license to sell reptiles since 2013. Pictures are attached from the night that I got him.**
GA Dept. of Agriculture:
Is there a "lemon law" in Georgia concerning pet purchases. How can I make sure I purchase a healthy pet?
Insist of a written purchase contract. It is recommended that persons take newly purchased pets to a veterinarian within 48-72 hours of purchase to have the animal checked by a licensed and accredited veterinarian of your choice. Purchase from licensed pet dealers only. You can request the inspection history information on a licensed establishment under the Georgia Open Records Act. Although there is no "lemon law" concerning pet purchases, the Animal Protection Section does investigate disease and health issues and selling under false pretenses.
Inspectors may issue stop sale/movement/use orders for failing to adhere to the standards set forth in the Animal Protection and Bird Dealers Licensing Act. Quarantines are issued when communicable disease is diagnosed, or when exposure to such disease is suspected. When quarantines are issued, all sick or exposed animals must be held in isolation and treated appropriately until a licensed veterinarian deems them free of disease.
Other penalties for non-compliance with the Georgia Animal Protection Act include licensee probation, revocation of licenses and/or monetary fines. Failure to comply with the Animal Protection Act or Bird Dealers Licensing Act is a misdemeanor.
**With the Dept. of Agriculture, it seems like I may not have a case for Bugger personally, but I plan on checking out their pet store and seeing if their animals look healthy or unhealthy**
What do I need to do to make this right? I plan on definitely calling the vendor out on selling an unhealthy animal--Ive already contacted Repticon... but does anyone with a bit more knowledge on the subject know more of what I can do?
I got screwed over pretty hard and I'm upset about that, but also for the other animals that were sold by that vendor who were also probably just as unwell. Am I wrong for thinking that it is the vendor's job to make sure that their products are healthy before being sold? You have to check inventory whether its live or inanimate before it is sold. I don't sell my customers bags of food with holes in them because I assumed the bag was good to go because our vendor gave it to us.
I'm not sure as to what I need to do at this point. But this guy's business model is messed up.
