Reptile guidance welcomed
The Animal Protection Agency (APA) has welcomed an article that gives guidance on the behavioural assessment of reptiles.
Published in the peer-reviewed veterinary journal, In Practice, the APA has dubbed the article, titled Assessing reptile welfare using behavioural criteria, as a "potential leap forward for reptile awareness".
The article aims to raise standards among vets, inspectors and reptile keepers and acknowledges that reptiles are not well-suited to captivity.
Leading from the journal's front page, the article states that a major obstacle to improving the health and welfare of reptiles is the difficulty in recognising important signs of stress and suffering.
As a result, the authors hope that the guidance will help vets to improve the lifespan and life-quality of those reptiles they see.
Furthermore, the APA has said that the article will also be helpful to local authority inspectors, as well as zoo, pet shop and sanctuary staff, and both laboratory and field researchers.
The APA is an organisation that campaigns against the trade in wild animals as pets. It said it hopes the guidance will also filter down to, or even be directly accessed by, pet reptile keepers.
Clifford Warwick, lead author of the article, explained: "Veterinarians are our most trusted and valuable source of impartial help at the forefront of animal care.
"Many reptiles fare very poorly in captivity and do not live long. This article aims to make some specialised biological information conveniently available for vets to add to their existing knowledge on care, and hopefully, to pass on to their clients."
Click here to view the article online.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
