Court win has benefits for all private keepers

[adder]

Dear all, I post the following on this site, as our victory has ramifications and benefits for all private reptile keepers in Australia in that a court has found that a wildlife department cannot come in and demand a keeper hand over legally acquired and held snakes.
In our case the government officers wanted to take snakes we had held for more than 8 years and raised from egg/birth.  Understandably we resisted and fortunately the court saw reason and sided with us.

Snakebusters win TWO court cases this week – trading as normal! (Friday 8 June)

Dear all, on Monday  this week, DSE unlawfully demanded in writing that Snakebusters hand over their legally held Venomoid (devenomized) snakes to be used by the DSE for their own inferior reptile shows, having unlawfully shut Snakebusters down in March this year.
Snakebusters are the only reptile display company in Australia that takes safety seriously and has the expertise to have these snakes.
Yesterday, VCAT made an order prohibiting the illegal demand by the DSE.  They are not allowed to steal the legally owned property of Snakebusters – it is that simple!
Today in separate proceedings the Supreme Court of Appeal agreed that a different VCAT Judge (Pamela Jenkins) was wrong to have cancelled Raymond Hoser / Snakebusters licences on 9 March this year on instruction from DSE, costing Snakebusters tens of thousands of dollars in lost income and generating a vast amount of adverse publicity for the company arising from false and defamatory media releases by the DSE.
While it is gratifying to see a wrong decision reversed, this reversal came too late for at least one man (Andrew Smith) who is now dead from snakebite as a result of Snakebusters being unable to provide services as originally booked and him then having to engage the services of a less experienced and unsafe provider.
With Snakebusters now operating as normal again,  people across Australia can again avoid taking risks by booking with Australia’s best reptiles and the only guaranteed risk free venomous snake shows, operated by Australia’s leading reptile experts.
Snakebusters are alone in our industry with experience in the reptile business in excess of 30 years and a perfect safety record.
Snakebusters are also again providing the only internationally recognised snake handling courses taught by experts with verifiable experience in excess of 30 years!
Finally, we thank our many loyal friends, clients and fellow wildlife lovers who have given all possible support in these trying times as we have fought these unlawful attacks from DSE officers and others.
We also wish to thank those people within DSE and the Victoria Police who contacted us to apologise for the criminal actions and misconduct of their work colleagues.
Snakebusters do intend serving a demand for damages and compensation on DSE for their gross misconduct and unlawful actions, including criminal damage to property in a heavily armed raid on 17 August last year.
More detail will be published on the Snakebusters website shortly!
Snakebusters – Australia’s best reptiles shows
http://www.snakebusters.com.au

[Sinners121]

good that you got to keep your snakes. but a fair few bold claims and a lot of self advertising

[AndrewHenderson]

It seems unfathomable that DSE can believe they have the right to go in and seize leagally owned and sourced reptiles. What grounds were their reasons for taking them?

[BrownHash]

Ray you are a man of low morals

Stop using the death of a man as a personal marketing tool.

Andrew Smith died last year in November, not between the 9th of March and the 8th of June this year when your license was cancelled.

Today in separate proceedings the Supreme Court of Appeal agreed that a different VCAT Judge (Pamela Jenkins) was wrong to have cancelled Raymond Hoser / Snakebusters licences on 9 March this year on instruction from DSE

While it is gratifying to see a wrong decision reversed, this reversal came too late for at least one man (Andrew Smith) who is now dead from snakebite as a result of Snakebusters being unable to provide services as originally booked and him then having to engage the services of a less experienced and unsafe provider.

[Niall]

In a way it's good to see you were able to get your animals back, but as said above there is a lot of bold claims and self advertising.

I find it quite disturbing that you use the death of a person as a marketing tool aswell.
I'm sure his family will have a few words to say to you if they find out!

Not only are you known for torching snakes with removing the venom glands of Elapids without using any sort of anesthetic, saying snakes don't feel pain. But now your going to be known for using false claims about a deceased person as a marketing tool, great name you got yourself there mate.

[adder]

OK Niall and friend who endorse illegal armed raids by corrupt wildlife officers,
you both need a little truth shone your way.

Firstly I had my licences cancelled on 17 August 2011 in the first instance resulting in numerous cancellations, including a snake handling course at Emerald in Queensland.
This group went with an alternative course provider (that had only been heanling reptiles themselves since mid 2005 by their own admission) and subsequently as a result of being taught wrong handling methods, as in tongs, Andrew Smith got killed when mis-handling a snake, as would be entirely expected.
If we had instead taught him correct handling methods, he'd still be alive.

That two people here seek to lie and use an unfortunate man's death to attack our perfect safety record which is unmatched in the reptile education industry is scandalous and both of you have identified yourselves as the enemies of private reptile keepers and for that matter anyone who believes in respect for the rule of law.

I am sure that the silent majority of people here who keep reptiles will be pleased that a court has upheld the right of law-abiding licence holders to be able to keep their reptiles without fear of unlawful demands and armed raids from officers who want reptiles for themselves to use in their own inferior children's reptile education programs.




All the best

[Orangamanda]

The "silent majority" probally wish pilbara pythons forum had a "your a major annoyance and I just wish you would eff off" button to push on all of your posts.

[shane13]

Sees a post by Adder waits for hate comments....

[kc_read]

haha what a joke,
adder you talk about being for the private reptile keepers but you are the most self absorbed arrrogant peice of work on the interent.

 You continue with attacks against everyone who don't agree with you methods and never accept any critisism, there is a reason no one respects you.
I may be new to reptile keeping but I've done enough surveying of the online forums trying to learn as much as I can and accept if anyone has anything to say about any faults in my husbandry. If it wasn't for people like Niall I wouldn't be as competent as I feel I am now.

Maybe if you changed your ways you might have some respect from your peers but i don't see that happening anytime soon

[Snowman]

Another boring thread...

[BrownHash]

OK Niall and friend who endorse illegal armed raids by corrupt wildlife officers,
you both need a little truth shone your way.

Ray, at which point did I say that I endorse illegal armed raids? I believe it is yourself that is making up lies. Prove me wrong.

If we had instead taught him correct handling methods, he'd still be alive.

Unfortunately, as he has passed away, we will never know. An unprovable statement. Next time try and use some facts.

That two people here seek to lie and use an unfortunate man's death to attack our perfect safety record which is unmatched in the reptile education industry is scandalous and both of you have identified yourselves as the enemies of private reptile keepers and for that matter anyone who believes in respect for the rule of law.

At which point was I attacking your safety record? I was attacking the fact that you were using the death of a man to promote yourself. Again, prove to me that this is not true. I'll even quote my original comment bellow so that you don't have to go looking for my original statement, I know research isn't your strong point.

Ray you are a man of low morals Angry

Stop using the death of a man as a personal marketing tool.

Have a nice day Mr Hoser.

[Bondy]

Is he trying to say we can now all toucher our snakes and get away with it.
Doesn't get an ounce of respect from me, I feel sorry for his reptiles 

[adder]

Use tongs to attack snakes - gets killed - says it all!!!

Pity the thugs who use tongs to attack snakes seek to attack Snakebusters using false names on a chat forum because we don't!

[Drake91]

Baha no Snakebusters just chops out the nasty bits so no harm can possibly come from a bite...so much better don't you think?

[Snowman]

Snake braggers is such a negative name. Sounds like a snake extermination company.