New England Herpetological Society

What do you do if you find a bad pet store?

While the New England Herpetological Society as a body cannot comment on bad (or good) pet stores, we do support everyone's efforts to correct problems found and to educate not only store personnel, but the general public who shops there.

If you are in a pet store and see animals being kept in improper environments, or sick, dying, or even dead animals on display, there are some steps you can take.

1. Document everything. Write down everything you see, the date and time you were in the store, and the names of any employees you talk to (and what they said).
2. Ask to see a manager. Don't be confrontational, but request his/her assistance in understanding why these conditions are what they are. Tell him/her you would be happy to bring in care sheets so he can educate the people who work for him and who are responsible for the day-to-day care of the animals. If you do not get a positive response, thank him/her for their time and leave. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS STORE!! We do not recommend 'rescuing' sick animals from pet stores; you will merely perpetuate the problem.
3. Write a follow-up letter to the manager as soon as possible, copying any applicable corporate office. List the problems you saw, who you talked to, and what your conversation with the manager was. Then, if the manager did request more information, enclose it.
4. In particularly bad cases (many dead and infected animals, really filthy cages) you can contact the local Board of Health and report the store as a public health hazard. It does take time, but as long as you have everything well-documented there's a better chance that something will be done.
5. If you feel that the store is not doing anything to rectify the situation, feel free to contact any local press.

Funded in part by the New England Herpetological Society

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The Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta) is listed as an endangered species in the state of Massachusetts due to its limited range and specific habitat requirements. This snake is known from only four populations in the state and accurate knowledge of this animal's life history, spatial activity and habitat parameters are seen as essential elements towards the successful management of this species.

The researchers, Paul Metcalf of Herpetological Associates and Peter Mirick of the state Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, have utilized mark and recapture methods to begin to compile a database of information concerning individual snakes at one particular site, and hope to eventually facilitate an accurate population estimate from this method.

Micro-transmitters were implanted into the body cavity of the snakes (two males and one female) by Dr. Mark Pokras of Tufts Veterinary School's Wildlife Clinic in Grafton MA. Each transmitter has an expected life of one year.

Once released, implanted snakes are located from between one and three times weekly from their release date until their ingress into the den crevices or until retrieval of the implanted transmitters is necessary. Each transmitter unit produces a unique pulsed frequency signal in the 164-165 or 150-151 MHZ range.

Transmitter signals are received using a Division of Fisheries & Wildlife-owned receiver calibrated to receive frequencies in the same range. The MDFW also provided a hand-held Yagi antenna and the necessary coaxial cable. Each transmitter has a local range of 200 to 1000 feet, depending on local topography and current consumption by the transmitter.

Through the use of radio-relocation methods, the researchers hope to also develop maximum, minimum and average range area estimates in addition to identifying specific E. obsoleta habitat requirements by collecting and comparing habitat parameters chosen by relocated snakes, to randomly chosen sites.

In addition to Paul Metcalf and Pete Mirick, a hardy collection of souls have ventured forth to assist in the assembling of data concerning this endangered snake. They include Joe Martinez, a Ph.D candidate and former President of the NEHS, Kurt Schatzl, a local naturalist and President of the NEHS, and Tom Palmer, former NEHS Librarian, noted naturalist and author of the book, "Landscape with Reptile."

The New England Herpetological Society has a long history of supporting herpetological endeavors. Check out these links:

Twice every year, NEHS presents the Massachusetts Reptile Expo, the only herptile expo in Greater Boston.

The Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team is an official committee within the NEHS, and also a separate organization. NEHS welcomed them as a way of contributing to the protection of local amphibian habitat.

Read about Red Belly Turtles and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife's and NEHS' efforts to increase hatchling survivals.

Check out The Black Ratsnake Research Project funded in part by NEHS grants.

We have come up with some suggestions for how to deal with bad pet stores.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has permit requirements for many herptiles. NEHS is an active contributor in the list review and update process.  The last time the regulations were reviewed, NEHS formed a committee of a dozen members and submitted a comprehensive list of recommended changes to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW). To see that proposal, and some of the surrounding history, click here.