Triturus marmoratus - the law is an a-s-s

[froggy]

Hi everyone

I had a very frustrating experience that I wanted to share with people. I recently found a petshop (in the UK) that was selling adult T. marmoratus. Aside from the terrible conditions and moribund state of the animals, the fact that they had reltively cheap adult marbled newts was suspicious to me. I asked the shop assistant if they had any documents about captive bred origin or anything (phrased so it sounded like a general interest question rather than accusation), and he said that he didn't think so. The shop was almost definitel;y selling illegally sourced WC animals.
When I got home I called Natural England and was bounced from person to clueless person until I reached their licensing department. They said that if the shop was breaching a license that they had issued, they could prosecute, but as the shop was operating WITHOUT a license, it was the police that I needed to talk to.

I called the Manchester police, and was put through to the branch for the area encompassing the shop, told to ask for their wildlife liaison officer. That branch of the police doesn't have one. I was put through to the adjoining area, but was told that their WL officer is away, but that the shop is not in their area and so they won't cover it.

In short, this shop is allowed to sell illegal animals without any license without fear of prosecution unless the police hire a new WL officer and someone is willing to sit on the phone for 45 minutes to reach them.

The law is an a-s-s.

Chris

 

[evut]

That is depressing.
Are there any organisations that might be interested and pursue it further?

 

[Azhael]

There is just no shame....
I think Eva has a point, one person might go crazy trying to do something about it, but perhaps some kind of organization, even if it´s just an herping club, might do.
Wasn´t T.marmoratus included in that new law that regulated WC european caudates in the UK??

 

[froggy]

I think that whoever tries to get something done (about this shop) will still have to work with the police. The animals will be dead or sold (or both) by the time any large group committed to helping.

Yes, marbleds are on the amended list of species illegal to have as WC in the UK. The shop had loads of other amphibians in similar horrible conditions (tiny containers at about 30 deg. C on sphagnum moss), but the only ones that were illegal to sell/own full stop were the Triturus marmoratus. The RSPCA could get involved for husbandry reasons, but they won't, as they don't know what is 'acceptable' and have no-where to re-house them anyway.

Don't get me started on what the assistant said when I brought up the issue of temperatures......

Chris

 

[Otterwoman]

Time for a phone call with a disguised voice purporting to be from the RSPCA or whomever...

 

[Bellabelloo]

I am pleased you brought this up. I might investigate and see if we have a Wildlife liason officer in my area.
I have little faith with the RSPCA here...I have yet to find them do anything at all useful .

 

[cellowithgills]

Things like this make me love living in the land of the Hippies. If there was even a hint of animal cruelty around here, the place would get shut down, or bought out.

 

[eljorgo]

That was a monstrosity! Glad you posted it out to authorities. A newt that can be and have been breed, multiple and hundred times all around the world... Its intolerable to be practising the sale of such disgraced newts that THEY DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO KEEP. Like you said, what kind of marmoratus adult can like with flashing light, 30ºC and live in top of super acid pH soil?! Gosh! Intolerable. Shut the store down!
Call what ever is necessary, even Chuck Norris if required! :wacko: (Forget last phrase, this aint funny)

 

[rethgar]

I realise that this is the resurrection of a thread almost 12 months old, but having heard you mention ity in another post I thought i'd ask wheteher you got anywhere or if the shop is still trading?