Cape Nature - Ad on Gumtree

[Athlordian]

I see the ad has since been edited...they've removed iguanas and spiders from the list of animals mentioned.

[Hantam]

Spoke to Deon Hignett this morning on the matter and he said they had placed the add to inform the people buying wild animals on Gumtree that they need permits.

[MacAdder]

...Notice how they mentioned iguanas and then lizards. To me that's a green light to get permits for these animals ...

CapeNature will refuse to entertain this without a doubt. Its like requesting an ownership permit for a Red-eared Slide. "Sure we will give you a permit but we need to come inspect first so can we arrange a meeting." (Not mentioning the SAPS will also be there.)

[MacAdder]

Spoke to Deon Hignett this morning on the matter and he said they had placed the add to inform the people buying wild animals on Gumtree that they need permits.

Ask Hignett for a permit for “your“ Green Iguana and let us hear what he says?
To say that a Green Iguana needs a relevant permit but then refusing to you have one because its internal policy is double talk.

[Athlordian]

To say that a Green Iguana needs a relevant permit but then refusing to you have one because its internal policy is double talk

I totally agree...they f*c|<ed up royally with this ad!

[Athlordian]

Spoke to Deon Hignett this morning on the matter and he said they had placed the add to inform the people buying wild animals on Gumtree that they need permits.

What the ad should have said is that it is currently illegal to buy/sell/own any of the animals listed. The way they worded the ad, makes it sound like an invitation to waste your money. It's fraudulent to say the least...and I hope somebody takes them to task for this blunder.

[Hantam]

Just received an email from Deon Higgnet with a statement stating the following:


"To whom it may concern

Unfortunately the purpose and intention of a recent "advert" posted on Gumtree has been taken totally out of context. The purpose of this advert is not designed to entrap individuals or even to generate income. This advert was placed in response to the numerous complaints that we receive from legal wild animal keepers and traders alike. These complaints drew our attention to fact that wild animal species of all kinds (birds, mammals, reptiles etc.) are being advertised on sites like Gumtree (and others) without drawing the potential buyer's attention to the fact that in the Western Cape Province a permit is required in almost all cases (with certain bird species being the notable exception) to buy, sell, transport or keep these wild animals in captivity. We've also noted a marked increase in people being found in possession of wild animals without a permit that they bought online and in most (if not all) cases these buyers were never informed by the seller that a permit was required. Whether this was done intentionally by unscrupulous sellers or in ignorance we'll never know but we thought it prudent and proactive, in response to these complaints and the many adverts placed on Gumtree, to draw the attention of potential buyers (and sellers) to the fact that in the WCP a permit is required to buy, transport and keep a wild animal in captivity.

In hindsight we shouldn't have listed the animals as we did in the advert (i.e. Reptiles, Iguanas, Lizards, protected birds, tortoises and spiders) as this seems to have created most of the confusion and clearly people read far too much into this and came to conclusions of their own based on this arbitrary listing. The intention was to draw the readers attention to the fact that a permit is required for a variety of wild animals, some of which were listed.

This listing will either be removed or changed to not list iguanas and spiders, which seems to be the focus of the debate and confusion. The bottom line that we'd like to draw the reader's attention to is that in the WCP a permit is required to trade, transport and keep wild animals in captivity.

Should there be any further questions or confusion regarding permitting requirements please contact CapeNature at the number listed and ask to speak to any of the permitting or conservation services officials."

[Athlordian]

Thanks Hantam...I got that too. They really should look before they leap...

[Athlordian]

On second thought, let's look at their reply quickly:

The purpose of this advert is not designed to confuse or entrap individuals or even to generate income.

Why then did Michael Hanson (CNC employee and poster of the ad) invite a number of people to apply for permits to keep iguanas, spiders and bearded dragons? I have evidence of this!

This advert was placed in response to the numerous complaints that CapeNature receives from legal wild animal keepers and traders alike. These complaints drew our attention to fact that wild animal species of all kinds (birds, mammals, reptiles etc.) are being advertised on sites like Gumtree (and others) without drawing the potential buyer's attention to the fact that in the Western Cape Province a permit is required in almost all cases (with certain bird species being the notable exception) to buy, sell, transport or keep these wild animals in captivity.

Why didn't they just come out and say that it is ILLEGAL to trade in or to own those animals? Why beat around the bush with misleading text and content that can be "taken totally out of context". They are Cape Nature Conservation, the authority on all things conservation related and, as such, it is THEIR JOB to inform the public about the rights and wrongs of our hobby. Besides, why didn't they just contact the offending advertisers on Gumtree directly?

We've also noted a marked increase in people being found in possession of wild animals without a permit that they bought online and in most (if not all) cases these buyers were never informed by the seller that a permit was required. Whether this was done intentionally by unscrupulous sellers or in ignorance we'll never know but we thought it prudent and proactive, in response to these complaints and the many adverts placed on Gumtree, to draw the attention of potential buyers (and sellers) to the fact that in the WCP a permit is required to buy, transport and keep a wild animal in captivity.

Once again they're dodging the bullet. He says that "in the WCP a permit is required to buy, transport and keep a wild animal in captivity", so if a permit is required, why not issue permits for the animals they originally listed in the ad...you know...the iguanas and the spiders and all the other stuff they listed originally, before the ad was edited? If they really wanted to be "prudent and proactive", they could've just kindly reminded people that you can not get a permit for those animals...because they're considered to be a possible threat to our eco systems.

Perhaps in hindsight we shouldn't have listed the animals as we did in the advert (i.e. Reptiles, Iguanas, Lizards, protected birds, tortoises and spiders) as this seems to have created most of the confusion and clearly people read far too much into this and came to conclusions of their own based on this arbitrary listing.

Nobody came to conclusions of their own...nobody was confused. The ad CLEARLY stated that a permit was needed...where's the confusion in that? In fact, the ad CLEARLY stated that a permit was needed for animals such as iguanas and spiders. Now if that's not misleading, then the Pope's clearly not Catholic.

The intention was to draw the readers attention to the fact that a permit is required for wild animals, some of which were listed.

Brilliant...love the fact that they did this...or attempted to do this, but they should've put some thought into it. I have done copy writing for big companies and if CNC is, at any time, unsure about the wording of an ad, they are more than welcome to push on my button. I will help them with ad content and the writing thereof...FREE OF CHARGE, but they really should not have posted an ad like this, without giving people the correct and pertinent information. I know they want to help and that they meant well and I've never had issues with them before. So if they want to do something like this again, they're more than welcome to contact me...I'd be happy to help them for a change.

[froot]

Nobody came to conclusions of their own...nobody was confused. The ad CLEARLY stated that a permit was needed...where's the confusion in that? In fact, the ad CLEARLY stated that a permit was needed for animals such as iguanas and spiders. Now if that's not misleading, then the Pope's clearly not Catholic.

I think that bit he said was directed at the comments made about Capenature trying to scam people by luring them in and then denying them permits.

This whole issue about iguanas not being allowed in the Cape is a joke and I'm quite sure there are a number of people in Capenature that totally agree. I hope they learn from this and keep the idiocy chained to a tree out back in future.