Why is EMODE important?

Taking on any animal as a pet is a big commitment, and so it really matters that your decision is an informed one. Unfortunately, many animals are mis-sold as ‘easy to keep’ and by the time new owners realise they have taken on more than they bargained for, it is often too late. For instance, a recent scientific study showed that at least 75% of pet reptiles die within their first year in the home. This is why it is important you have access to impartial and sound guidance at the outset. Lives depend on it!

If things don’t work out with an animal you have acquired, there is no guarantee that a sanctuary or rescue shelter will be able to help. Animal shelters or sanctuaries are often overburdened with unwanted pets. Moreover, there are very few good rescue centres that have the specialised facilities, expertise and resources to care for exotic animals.

AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection, Almere, Netherlands

A 20-year old Barbary macaque, who had been kept for all of his life in an apartment in southern France, was urgently re-homed to a sanctuary after his owner became terminally ill.  The owner had been feeling guilty about the fact that he could not provide adequate care for the animal. Over time, he realised that the monkey needed to be kept in an environment that resembled his own habitat and to be amongst other members of his own species. All primates fall into the ‘extreme’ category and are challenging even for zoos and sanctuaries to properly care for.

AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection, Almere, Netherlands

Three Swinhoe’s striped squirrels, which had been kept in a large garden aviary, were handed in to a sanctuary in the Netherlands. The owners had realised that one of their squirrels was sick and they couldn’t find a vet with the necessary expertise to treat it. This is a common problem where exotic species are kept. The owners were also very concerned to learn that three German squirrel breeders had recently died from a new strain of a virus, caught from their squirrels. The owners told the sanctuary that they regretted acquiring the animals in the first place.

Catastrophe’s Cat Rescue, Sussex, UK

A cat named Janet was surrendered to a sanctuary with a deformed jaw and protruding tongue. This was the result of a broken jaw (possibly caused by a road accident) and as she was not taken to a vet, her jaw bone healed badly. The cat’s owners had not made provisions for expensive emergency veterinary bills when they took on Janet – for instance, by getting pet insurance cover. 

Grace’s Rest, Warwickshire, UK

A royal python, handed in to a sanctuary, was suffering from an inability to shed its skin, and was refusing food. The python’s vivarium was too small and the heating, lighting and humidity levels were all incorrect but a pet shop had advised that this set-up was appropriate. Better conditions at the sanctuary, including increased humidity levels and the provision of bark and rocks to rub against, helped the snake to shed its skin, regain its appetite and recover. Advice from pet shops can often confuse matters or make the situation worse, so it’s important to seek reliable advice.
 

Grace’s Rest, Warwickshire, UK

Three sugar gliders, purchased because they were “cute”, were surrendered to a sanctuary when the new owners found themselves way out of their depth. They couldn’t cope with the smell, noise and mess created by the animals and also found their diet too complicated. The sugar gliders had been fed a totally unsuitable diet of bird food mixture with occasional frozen pineapple. It took a long time for the sanctuary to rehabilitate the animals on a more appropriate diet, which included live bugs. The owners seemed oblivious to the complex needs of the sugar gliders.