Case in Point

[GaryO]

About the main topic.

Sellers can only do so much. Really. When do people take the responsibilty(sp)of their own actions. Does the market down the street have to worry about what person of legal age they sell beer too? HMMM no.

There is only so much a seller can do. after that it is on the buyer.

ANd it is not always about the money as some said. sellers are lied to all the time. But I keep seeing these posts about it is the sellers fault. NO NO NO.....18 and older guess what. It is on the buyer 100. 18 years of age you are an adult. The actions you take will fall on you.................

[crush]

Well where I come from it is all the stores responsibilty for selling to under age. If someone under age gets a Tattoo or piercing its the shops responsibilty. If your business means that much to you you should protect it.

[CraigC]

Originally Posted by GaryO

About the main topic.
Sellers can only do so much. Really. When do people take the responsibilty(sp)of their own actions. Does the market down the street have to worry about what person of legal age they sell beer too? HMMM no.
There is only so much a seller can do. after that it is on the buyer.
ANd it is not always about the money as some said. sellers are lied to all the time. But I keep seeing these posts about it is the sellers fault. NO NO NO.....18 and older guess what. It is on the buyer 100. 18 years of age you are an adult. The actions you take will fall on you.................

Gary, I must disagree. Sellers MUST do everything possible to insure that no one with out proper experience buys anything from them. Age makes no difference. Unless they know little or nothing about the species they are selling, it would take less than five minutes to ferret out who is lieing to them. I cannot except being lied to as an excuse. Just doesn't cut it. I really don't care if it is legal or not to sell, there is a moral obligation to our hobby and the public at large to prevent situations like this or the case of the kid buying a hot. What could it possibly be, if not money, that would allow a vendor to sell a hot to a minor or anyone with no experience. I say the vendor IS the problem and making excuses for them is putting us on the fast track to standing outside looking in when our rights are legislated into oblivion.

Craig

[BWSmith]

Originally Posted by GaryO

About the main topic.

Sellers can only do so much. Really. When do people take the responsibilty(sp)of their own actions. Does the market down the street have to worry about what person of legal age they sell beer too? HMMM no.

Ahhh, but I don't see many pushes for Prohibition to be reinstated. Whereas, exotic animal (particularly venomous) legislation is popping up like a Whack-A-Mole game. I certainly don't hold Jeff or anyone else who sold him venomous completely responsible for his actions. But this industry is quick to either condemn or absolve the dealers. I think that a degree of responsibility should fall on dealers to do a little due diligence and ask a few questions. If not for the sake of the buyer, community, or the hobby, then at least to protect their business from being outlawed. I have seen a dealer sell an 18 year old kid a cobra for his first snake. Not first hot, first SNAKE. That is a recipe for disaster. So I think that dealers simply asking some questions, being ethical, and "going with their gut" would stop many of these situations before they start. Of course, if the person really wants something, then there is not way to stop them. But at least the dealer knows that they did not contribute to a bad situation. I would rather have a clear conscience than a few bucks in my pocket.

[CraigC]

Just say NO! LOL I think it is irresponsible to not screen a buyer, even for non-vems. You can make the same argument for large constrictors. Maybe not as blatant an incedent as envenomation but it makes the news.

Craig

[BWSmith]

Yes, but you can get treated for an envenomation. There is no antivenom for asphyxiation.

[JuliusSqueezer]

I screen heavily but not for the safety of the buyer or for any other reason really than...I care about my animals and don't want to put them in bad situations of neglect and abuse. I even screen snake hook customers sometimes to the point of exhaustion. I have a customer right now emailing about snakehooks and tongs because he lives in an area where there are a lot of rattlesnakes. Up until now he has always just shot them but he's changed his views and wants to safely relocate them away from his property. I'm about 6 lengthy emails deep with the guy now doing what I can to make sure he's somewhat informed first where I could easily just say...ok here...go move them and thanks for not shooting them anymore.