Reptile Policies & Ethics

This policy is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to be legal advice. It is each seller's responsibility to ensure their livestreams, listings and sales adhere to our Terms & Conditions as well as any applicable laws and regulations around the sale and shipping of live animals.

Position on Ethics of Animal Keeping & Business

Palmstreet believes there is a responsibility on all keepers/breeders/sellers to uphold certain ethical standards. These ethics apply to private collections and businesses alike. As part of our efforts to maintain a healthy and responsible community, Palmstreet supports USARK as a Gold Member and requires our users to commit to this Code of Ethics.

Conservation

Conservation of wildlife and its natural habitats are the cornerstone of responsible keeping.

Our beliefs:

• Captive breeding increases natural populations by decreasing the market for wild-caught animals.
• Captive breeding builds a sustainable population of endangered animals.
• Positive experiences with reptiles help people care more about the environments these animals are native to, and to be more vocal in advocating for conservation.
• Read more about conservation from USARK.

Our actions:

• Palmstreet only supports captive bred animals.
• We respond seriously to any allegations of violations of conservation laws.

Ecology

Healthy environments with thriving, diverse populations of native species are critical for the overall health of our entire planet.

Our beliefs:

• We believe non-native species should NEVER be released into the wild. There is never a circumstance that justifies this act.
• We believe it is wrong to collect native species from the wild without specific, government-approved permits.
• Even with permits, the collection of wild animals should only be done by those with the experience and resources to properly care for and acclimate these animals to captivity.

Our actions:

• We respond seriously to any complaints about sellers who violate local, state, federal, or international laws regarding the collection, trade, and transportation of native and non-native species.

Animal Welfare

Every living creature in our care is dependent on us for their well-being. If we cannot provide them with what they need, we should not have them.

Our beliefs:

• We believe all keepers should commit to providing the care needed for their animals to remain healthy and thrive in their captive environments.
• We believe all sellers should commit to finding good homes for the animals they sell.

Our actions:

• We encourage communication between buyers and sellers before a transaction for a live animal can be completed.
• We respond aggressively to any proven allegations of ongoing gross negligence or abuse. This includes the condition of any animals sold on our platform upon arrival at their destination.

Summary

Anyone with an interest in keeping and/or working with animals is under the microscope of those who desire to take our rights away. They may be aggressive animal-rights activists, people with irrational phobias, or lawmakers looking for publicity. If we cannot publicly maintain and convey ethical and responsible care for our animals and the environments they come from, we will lose.

Palmstreet continues to do all we can to support these efforts and will always have an eye toward future projects that do even more. Some long-term plans include:

• Provide more care information per species (lifespan, care required, etc)
• Additional support for animal adoptions, rescues, and veterinarians
• Give sellers more information about the experience level of buyers

Together there is much we can accomplish. For every single individual animal keeper out there, there are actions you can take to promote ethics and responsibility. Even the smallest step can have a significant impact.

Resources

• Exotic Animals Allowed for Sale on Palmstreet
• What is USARK?
• USARK's Code of Ethics
• USARK's Best Management Practices for Public Safety
• USARK's Best Management Practices for Public Health