Hello from everyone at Drayton Valley Reptile Rescue (DVRR). We are a reputable, established rescue that has been servicing all of Alberta and more for the past 7 years! Established meaning being around to serve the community actively with a public presence for more than a few months/weeks.
We began in March 2013 after getting tired of seeing so many unprofessional and dubious postings for what we call fly-by-night “rescues” that we decided to step up, and offer the community and surrounding areas something reliable and honest to assist with all the animals that were looking for homes, and to hopefully prevent these fly-by-night people from obtaining more animals, letting them get sick, flipping them for money, breeding them or worse, reselling sick animals to the unknowing public. To help prevent these people from being the only available option for the clients and animals needing help, DVRR was founded as a home-based rescue in the spring of 2013. This year we will be entering our 7th year serving our community.
Aside from rehabilitation, rescuing and rehoming reptiles and other exotic pets, we also actively provide education to the public and our followers by offering informative shows, up to date care guides, true to source news articles and various other forms of education pieces for our online community to access. DVRR also provides clients with equipment, and animal sourcing options, holds adoption events, and undertakes fundraising drives to help with the care of the animals.
At DVRR we have re-homed 99% of the animals we have taken in. Some animals become long term residents in certain situations where it is in their best interests, or until a proper home does come along. Since our founding, DVRR has successfully re-homed and adopted almost 500 different animals! We also provide husbandry advice for reptiles and are connected to a vast network of other specialists in the h**petology community who can often provide aid when our resources are limited. We do not work alongside any other organizations at this time.
DVRR is willing and ready to assist with any reptile, invertebrate or amphibian that needs some extra help, or any new h**p owner when we are contacted. We strive to provide a free surrender service and thus have no fees to surrender animals, though we must note that we do not pay you for your animal. While what we can take can be limited due to capacity, we absolutely won’t refuse a sick or injured animal. We are called a rescue for a reason, and we have quarantine procedures in place to protect other animals at our facility. No quarantine is one of the fly by night warning flags we often see.
We understand that having to part with our beloved pets may be a heart-breaking experience, and the staff at DVRR will not judge you for the difficult decision you're making in placing your animal in our care. Life can be harsh, and sometimes our best plans go astray, leading us to these stressful and discouraging situations. We do our best to make sure the new placement goes as easily as possible for all parties involved, including your little friend. If we have difficulty due to limited space or resources, the network of connections we have can and will provide needed help.
Pick-ups are currently limited so drop-offs are welcome. We strongly encourage you to provide the original enclosure, even if it's not the right size. This minimizes the stress of the transfer on the animal and can serve to house other animals in the care of the rescue of a more appropriate size if this is the case. The old enclosure is not a requirement, but it is helpful as there may be limited options available at the rescue.
There is an adoption fee charged when an animal is ready to be re-homed. It varies depending on the situation of the animal in question and the special costs that went towards its care and/or rehabilitation. The fees help cover things like the costs of taking care of the animal, vet trips and the care of other animals in the rescue. When an animal is re-homed there is an interview process, a pre-adoption information questionnaire, and adoption forms to sign which ensure that the new pet is taken very good care of. We do have limited enclosures available to go with the animals if required based off of donations at the time, please inquire about further details if this is the case.
We also gladly accept any and all donations so far as supplies go, anything from housing, climbing items, hides, vitamins, substrates, lights, heat pads, decorative items, etc. We strive to use these donations at our location first and foremost, and if we are unable to put them to a beneficial use within our organization, we donate the items forward to the public to help pay it forward. For our supporters who wish to donate money in a more direct way, we have created our sponsorship program. This program allows a supporter to choose a rescue animal, or resident animal, and make a contribution towards its ongoing food bills. Right now we make our food orders in 6 month increments, so that is the period for which an individual sponsorship can be made. Find more details on the Note titled “Sponsor a Reptile” on the page below.
DVRR POLICIES AND STANDARDS
Core Ethical Principles for DVRR
• DVRR maintains a transparent relationship with the public on all donations be they physical or monetary, on appropriate information regarding an animal’s history, and on situations involving any concerns.
• DVRR strives to achieve high standards of animal care.
• DVRR has formal and informal education and training in animal husbandry.
• DVRR is responsible, conscientious and dedicated.
• DVRR works within all municipal, provincial and national legislation and guidelines with regards to animal care.
• DVRR utilizes safe work habits within the guidelines of current health and safety practices.
• DVRR has access to appropriate veterinary care and seeks professional treatment when required.
• DVRR encourages community support and involvement.
• DVRR employs educational programs as a means of preventing animal abandonment, distress or abuse.
• DVRR shares skills and knowledge with others.
• DVRR follows established operating procedures and plans aimed at optimizing the health, safety and welfare of animals under its care.
Summary of Standards
In order to achieve consistent and acceptable care for animals in the custody of DVRR a range of standards have been considered.
These include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:
• Guidelines for receiving animals into care of a DVRR.
• Appropriate space requirements size for various species and breeds.
• Standards for housing design that accommodates for animal health and safety by reducing stress, encouraging/allowing natural behaviour and preventing and controlling disease (biosecurity)
• Appropriate sanitation, quarantine and disease prevention standards to eliminate transmission of disease to: other animals in a facility, other animals in the external community, facility staff and the public at large.
• Appropriate standards for daily animal husbandry including exercise, feeding and watering.
• Appropriate record keeping standards.
• Standards for evaluating an animal’s fitness for adoption or release into the care of an individual outside of the center.
• Standards for evaluating the suitability of an individual to receive an animal from the care of the center.
• Standards for humane euthanasia
• Standards for the disposal of animal waste
Management Practices
• People handling animals are trained in safe handling procedures and are taught how to use the equipment in the facility.
• Housing, handling and restraint procedures have been created to be safe for animals and humans.
• All facility equipment is arranged to be accessible and in good working order.
Record keeping
• All information provided or aquired by DVRR and staff shall remain confidential.
• Each animal is tracked from its admission to a shelter/rescue facility
until its disposition. This information includes:
Full description of the animal; species, breed, color size, gender, weight etc.
Any presenting history available about the animal’s situation or past events; injuries, temperament, human biting incidents, medical information
Health and medical history during stay in shelter; surgery, diagnostic tests, illnesses, temperament assessment etc.
Final disposition; adopted, fostered, died, euthanized
• DVRR keeps records of its current inventory of animals under care
Training
• All volunteers and staff must sign a non-disclosure agreement as well as a waiver to work with DVRR and the animals at the facility.
• Training is provided by the owner-operator, who has significant experience in the field of animal care and facility operation
• Training for all staff and volunteers includes:
Safe handling of all animal species dealt with by the facility
Procedures for receiving animals
Procedures for the cleaning of enclosures
Procedures for cleaning of animals
Procedures of in house treatments of animals
Safe handling of biohazards and illnesses/disease
Fostering or Adopting
• DVRR does not allow any clients, followers, or well wishers to foster. If DVRR does not have the capacity to assist directly with an animal, we will try to help in other ways.
• If a client contacts DVRR for assistance with rehoming an animal, or to get help with their animal. DVRR will not make multiple attempts to request information. If the information is not returned at the initial request, staff will not make further attempts at contact.
• DVRR does not provide a notification service for animals as they come up for adoption at this time. We cannot process requests for notification of a particular species or kind of animal, though we can redirect to the animals currently up for adoption. Clients are encouraged to check the website for the most recent updates (the posts can be searched).
• DVRR will disclose as much information about an animal at the rescue as possible to ensure it finds a suitable home.
• DVRR volunteers are prohibited from adopting any animals for 6 months from their initial sign on date as a volunteer. Six months of reliable service to the rescue is required before adoption approval to a volunteer for any animal. Volunteers may purchase equipment or sale items but may not acquire animals.
• All animals are adopted on a first come first serve basis, to appropriate homes that have passed adoption screening.
• Animals or equipment will not be held without a down payment in place.
• DVRR does not allow multiple adoptions of animals in the facility within a 1 month time frame.
• People who are found to be taking in animals of a ‘rescue’ nature may be declined for adoption as we strive to find forever homes for animals where they do not have to risk exposure to further health concerns, or lack of attention due to ‘rescue’ situations.
Before an animal is released from a shelter/rescue facility for return to the community at large, the following conditions must be met:
• A pre-assessment of the new owner must be made to determine their ability to appropriately care for animals in general and the new animal specifically
• An assessment must be made of the appropriateness of the specific animal to the specific owner
• All appropriate documentation and forms must be filled out prior to the animal leaving the facility.
• Any animal posing a threat to the public or other animals should not be released
Transportation
• Proper ventilation must be provided to minimize stress in all travel containers
• Food and water containers or any other loose items must be removed from travel enclosures while the animal is being transported
• All transport equipment must be constructed to be easily cleaned and sanitized
Animal Acquisition
• Clients who have surrendered an animal are disqualified from ever receiving the animal that was surrendered back. Future adoptions will be assessed at the time of application.
• If DVRR is at capacity, all efforts will be made to assist with the rehoming of animals, and the filtering of appropriate homes when applicable.
• All animals acquired must go through a minimum of 30 days quarantine.
• All animals taken into custody by DVRR are done so in a legal and ethical manner
• Animals may be presented by a peace officer under the Animal Protection Act who designates the DVRR as a caregiver
• Animals may be surrendered to DVRR by a legitimate owner who is a member of the public
• Animals may be received from other shelter/rescue operations who are in lawful custody of the animal
• DVRR reserves the right to reject any rescue for any reason
Requirements for Housing
Our enclosures meet these general cage requirements:
• Are an appropriate size for the animal, protect the animal from injury, abuse, or
harassment, and contain furnishings appropriate to the age and species being housed. Some exceptions can be made based on specific situations.
• Are strong and constructed of material that can be easily cleaned and disinfected
• Are maintained in good repair
• Are escape proof
• Have an adequate supply of water
• Are clean and sanitary
• Have a combination of UVB, UVA,visible light and/or infrared lighting with a time
regime appropriate to the species.
• Have proper heating equipment in place appropriate to the species with heating lamps, heat tape, heat pads.
• Provides appropriate hides for the species.
• Can maintain proper humidity levels.
• Are appropriately ventilated to allow air movement
• Substrates consist of materials that can be regularly cleaned or changed
Feeding
• Animals are fed a diet appropriate for their species, age and physiological condition
• Clean fresh water is readily available
• Food is prepared and stored under sanitary conditions and perishable prepared food is refrigerated where necessary
• Any feeder animals will be procured from a humane source, any animal that was ever classified as someone's pet shall never be used as a prey item under any circumstances.
Medical Care
• All veterinary activity is compliant with legislation and regulation governing the practice of veterinary medicine in the province
• Adequate medical supplies are kept available, including disinfectants and cleansing agents
• If prescription medications are necessary and are to be administered by the facility staff, the veterinarian will provide a prescription detailing: appropriate dosage, written procedures for proper administration and safe storage and an authorization for the facility staff to carry out these procedures
• When applicable, immediate treatments must be administered in house.
Biosecurity and Disease Control
Preventing Animal to Human Transmission
• Disposable gloves are available and used during procedures where contamination may be present
• Lavatory facilities are accessible with hand washing sinks, suitable liquid washing agents in pump bottles (not soap bars) and disposable drying articles (not cloth towels)
• Supervisory staff are given basic information on diseases transmissible between humans and animals (zoonoses) and other transmissible diseases
Preventing Animal to Animal Transmission
• Animal contact with f***l matter or discarded food materials is minimized
• Animal enclosures are kept sanitary by having an adequate and routine cleaning schedule
• Indoor facilities have adequate ventilation and air movement with minimal recycled or reused air
• Animals confirmed or suspected of having contagious diseases are kept isolated from non-infected susceptible animals
• An examination for external parasites is performed and an examination for internal parasites performed where appropriate
• Bowls, feeding utensils, medical equipment, linens used for handling animals and for animal bedding, and plastic/rubber gloves worn while handling animals are cleaned/replaced daily and disinfected between use on different animals.
• Animal diets are prepared under sanitary conditions minimizing the threat of microbial
contamination, and where applicable food is stored in containers and areas free from all possible contaminants, rodents and pests.
Euthanasia
Euthanasia may be required where there is no suitable alternative to alleviating an animal’s suffering or when an animal is unsuitable for adoption due to illness, age, injury, temperament or lack of suitable living situation.
• Euthanasia must be reliable, irreversible, simple, safe and rapid
• Euthanasia must only take place upon the advice of the facility Veterinarian, and in accordance with the euthanasia protocol established by the facility, in consultation with the Veterinarian
• Methods of euthanasia employed must follow accepted practices as defined by the Canadian
Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) or the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC)
• Lethal injection is considered the most acceptable form of euthanasia for individual animals. Alternate approved methods of euthanasia may need to be employed when lethal injection is not feasible
• Lethal injection must be performed by the facility registered Veterinarian or registered Animal Health Technologists, under the direction of the Veterinarian and in accordance with Provincial and Federal Legislation governing the practice of veterinary medicine and the use of controlled substances
