Terms and conditions of Snakebusters shows, presentations and so on.
Bookings.
- We take bookings over the phone, via e-mail,
post or fax.
- However it is best to confirm by phone.
- Unless verbal (phone or in person) confirmation is given, then you may
not be certain you have booked us.
- For all bookings we allow a "cooling off" period for cancellations,
rescheduling and so on of one week (7 days).
- Outside of the "cooling off" period (above) for all other cancellations
we reserve the right to charge a cancellation fee of 50% of the fee charged
for the show or shows, chargeable at our discretion and binding on the
person or entity who cancel.
- The cancellation fee is charged to offset losses from alternative bookings
passed up after given bookings are made.
Payments.
- We accept cash, cheque or direct deposit into our bank account. For the later, see the correct account details at the Snakebusters bank deposit website at:
http://www.smuggled.com/subwir2.htm
- We accept payment by Mastercard, Visa, Amex and Diners, with a 10% loading to cover administration and processing costs.
- Payment for our shows is due within one calender month of the show, or if a series of shows is done, within one calender month of the last show of that calender year.
- We reserve the right to take all forms of legal actions to recover debts.
- After 60 days of booking, if payment is not received or readily recoverable, we may send the debt to agents.
- Any debts sent for recovery will incur a surcharge of 50 per cent.
Insurance and liability.
- We are one of the few licenced reptile exhibitors in Australia to have paid big bucks to get public liability insurance for live reptiles at our shows. We can fax these details to potential clients if need be. Beware: At least some other reptile show outfits in Australia either do not have public liability insurance and/or have made misleading statements to get their policy and/or are not fully covered in terms of their reptiles. If you book with someone else, we cannot guarantee that you will be covered in event of accident.
- We take all due care and responsibility with our reptiles and the public
and we will not knowingly place any person or reptile at risk. The only
potential exceptions to this (above sentence) are the following in terms
of if and when persons are allowed to handle our reptiles. These include:
.....Bites from non-venomous (including "devenomized" or "venomoid") reptiles that may even draw blood, but cause
no permanent damage (e.g. Stumpy Tailed Lizards).
.....Scratching by claws of lizards, (generally no bleeding).
.....Whipping by tails of snakes of lizards (no injuries).
.....Defecation by reptiles in terms of soiling clothes or carpets.
.....Minor injuries to live reptiles in the event of mishandling or even
being dropped.
All persons booking us, assume the above risks.
- Click here to download an html (webpage) version of our "Risk assessment" (Generic document).
- Click here to download a MS Word (Better for printing) version of our "Risk assessment" (Generic document).
- Note that it is illegal under Sect 32 of the O H and S Act 2004 to demonstrate dangerously venomous snakes in public in Victoria that have not been surgically devenomized.
- A "Risk assessment" should be issued and read BEFORE any booking is made (whether with Snakebusters or anyone else), especially if contemplating taking the risk of bringing snakes with venom glands intact onto a site where members of the public attend.
Venomous/Venomoid (devenomized) Snakes.
- All venomous snakes shown, handled and displayed
will, unless otherwise requested be those which are venomoid, which means
that they have had their venom glands surgically removed. This is to protect
handler, snakes and public from accidental bites in terms of "worst
case" scenario. It is also in the snake's best interests that they be made "non-venomous" if being handled frequently and this reflects in the unrivalled exceptional condition of our regularly exhibited venomous species.
- Snakebusters are the only reptile show outfit in Australia who have venomoid snakes
and can offer a completely safe and risk free venomous snake show.
- We are the only reptile show outfit in Australia who do not use sticks, tongs and similar devices to torment venomous snake species for public demonstrations.
- Because venomoid snakes only have two functional fangs (teeth), which are also relatively small in size, a bite from one of these snakes inflicts far less skin damage than a bite from a naturally non-venomous snake of similar size, which naturally has many sharp teeth in the mouth (e.g. python).
- Please note a number of business competitors have littered the internet with false claims and allegations about venomoid snakes. We have successfully taken action against some, but the nature of the internet makes it logistically not possible to action all false and misleading posts. However in summary these snakes do not regenerate venom and do not suffer pain as a result of the operation. The contrary is true. After many years of being devenomized, none have ever regenerated any venom gland (checked and rigorously tested by several means) or a drop of venom. Our snakes have been certified by a licenced veterinary surgeon as devenmomized on several occasions to the satisfaction of authorities in several states.
There have also been since mid 2008, many videos in circulation (including the internet) of Raymond Hoser forcing venomoids, including of the world's deadliest species, to bite him to prove that their bites have no venom and are totally safe and harmless and with the skin pricks, that the snakes still have teeth and fangs.
Fortunately, the circulation of these videoes have also stopped most of the ridiculous and malicious claims being made about the venomoids.
Obvious risks non-venomoids - not Snakebusters.
- Due to the O H and S Act 2004, most reptile demonstrators do not now deal with venomous species.
- However, as a relevant note, all our competitors (using venomous reptile species) and/or their staff have been rushed to hospitals for serious venomous snakebites, including no less than 6 serious snakebite incidents in 2007 (and others in 2008). Snakebusters has a perfect safety record (no staff ever rushed to hospital for snakebites) and with venomoids there is zero risk of such ever occuring at a show or event.
- We accept no liability or responsibility in terms of persons who may
see one of our shows and any actions they may take afterwards.
- This includes attempts by show participants or viewers to move, handle
or catch other wild or captive reptiles, snakebites and other potential
mishaps, physical or legal.
- Snakebusters and no one else, can guarantee safety of person/s at a reptile demonstration using venomous snakes that have not been surgically devenomized and issues a warning to this effect. Claims of "expertise" by handlers in terms of public events should be dismissed, noting that even the best handlers may get bitten when handling deadly snakes and on a regular basis such bites occur.
- Note that in early 2008, an experienced reptile demonstrator died from a snakebite from one of his "pet" snakes that had not been devenomized. Also note that sometime earlier in a separate incident, thieves stole a deadly snake from within a locked room at an exhibition. That snake was not devenomized and had a bite occurred, the owner of the snake would have been liable to be sued.
- Recent life threatening snakebites (usually needing anti-venom to save the life), involving licenced demonstrators and staff (from outfits who at times compete against Snakebusters for business) who do not use venomoids, have included the following: Simon Watharow (trading as "Snakehandler"), (rushed to hospital and needed anti-venom (AV) after a Tiger Snake bite), John Deutscher (who worked with Watharow), a number of Death Adder bites and anti-venom, Glen Clapton at Healesville Sanctuary needed AV after getting chomped by a Red-bellied Black Snake, Byron Manning also at Healesville Sanctuary was similarly chomped by a Broad-headed Snake and rushed to hospital for a dose of anti-venom, Stuart Parker of Ballarat Wildlife Park was rushed to hospital in 2007 after a Death Adder bite, Chris Hay, carted off to hospital for serious bites a number of times, including bites from a King Brown and a Floodplain Death Adder, Neville Burns, chomped by a Black Snake, carted off to hospital and missing a finger from same, John Lucas of Educational Reptile Displays, was rushed to hospital in 2007 after being bitten by a Mulga snake when showing it to people at the Redlands Show, Tom Parkin of a North Queensland wildlife park rushed to hospital after a Taipan bite in 2007, add to the list keepers at Australia Zoo (Queensland)(Taipan bite), Australian Wonderland (Sydney)(Jaffa snake bite, later had one stolen), Venom Supplies (South Australia) (a number of incidents), Bredl's Zoo (South Australia)(Taipan bite), and it is clear that use of non-venomoids is hazardous for all concerned. Worksafe Victoria have already stated that non-venomoid snakes cannot legally be used in Victoria under the newly passed OH and S Act.
- Based on the Worksafe statement/s and the O H and S Act, venomous species shown outside a Snakebusters demonstration, or outside a locked and sealed cage in a zoo, are probably being shown illegally and if an accident occurs, both demonstrator and booking entity would probably be liable.
- All information and advice we give is given in good faith and based on
decades of experience. It may not however be either correct and/or applicable
to all circumstances and we accept no liability, legal or implied in terms
of persons following our advice.
Warning: Reptiles are highly regulated in
all Australian states.
- In most cases it is illegal to catch, keep,
handle or interfere with any reptiles in any circumstances without written
legal authority from the government.
- Due to the complexity of the laws and the frequency with which they change,
any advice we give on such matters must only be regarded as 'tentative'
at best.
- Persons intending having any contact with reptiles (in any way) outside
of a snakebusters presentation should in the first instance seek binding
legal advice from the relevant government authorities.
Reptile and wildlife removals including "call outs".
- See details at: http://www.smuggled.com/SCT1.htm
Working with children checks.
- All staff have relevant police, WWC and other checks, including our own integrity checks that go beyond the legal minimums. See a recent WWC certificate at: http://www.smuggled.com/WWC2a.jpg
Miscellaneous items.
- Snakebusters are not to be held responsible for the general conduct of persons at a venue or event and have no responsibility or liability for damages, thefts and other actions by such persons either of snakebusters materials or that owned and/or controlled by others.
- Snakebusters and all staff will at all times put the welfare of their animals first. This may involve altering or at "worst case" stopping presentations if it is determined that there is an unacceptable risk to any animals in any way. This may include "barring" or banning persons who have been determined "high risk" and our decisions in this regard are not subject to negotiation or dispute.
- If snakebusters terminate or alter a show in any way as a result of conduct of persons and/or unforseen event or circumstance, Snakebusters will not be liable for any damages or refunds.
- Snakebusters only allow photos for private purposes only. Any photos to be taken or used commercially, printed on websites or similar must be approved by snakebusters first. Under no cicumstances are any photos of snakebusters in any manifestation to be digitally altered in any way, except following written approval by snakebusters.
- Photos taken in schools and pre-schools can be used for in house purposes without permission so long as they are not used in any way that may in any conceivable way commercially harm snakebusters or any snakebusters staff.
- Snakebusters photos, photos taken of snakebusters reptiles and similar must not be used to promote other persons, other persons reptiles, other events not featuring snakebusters or any other such thing that may cause a non-involved person to be mislead in any way.
- Snakebusters accept that all equipment, boxes and the like will be subject to normal "wear and tear" and this is not an issue. However in terms of malicious, reckless or unacceptable damage, we seek rights to recover costs.
- In the event of theft or malicious or reckless damage to boxes, equipment, banners or any other material, Snakebusters reserves the right to levy recovery costs for "as new" replacement, including associated costs for sourcing, freighting and the like.
- In the event of theft of animals, or intentional killing of animals, snakebusters must by law report all such incidents within a reasonable time frame and will do so.
- In the event of theft or intentional killing of animals, the venue or booking person/s will be held liable for replacement costs to the following minimum scale, $300 per skink lizard, frog or terrapin, $1,000 per snake, crocodile or non-skink lizard, with a loading of $5,000 for albino's, leucystics, or scaleless reptiles and same for Green Pythons.
- Reptiles intentionally or recklessly injured at an event that die as a result (must be within 60 days), will be treated the same as in above paragraphs.
Intellectual property, Defamation and similar.
- Any person who misuses or misrepresents Snakebusters in any way, makes false claims about our conduct or the like, may be legally actioned for doing so. This includes illegal use of any of our trademarks, including Snake buster, snakebusters, snakeman and so on. Any person who uses or misuses our intellectual property in any way, will also be liable to be sued and without warning. We have successfully actioned persons and companies for such trangressions, including WA Film company Prospero, who along with co-defendants, had to pay a total of $39,500 in damages in 2006, a major Melbourne newspaper who paid $10,000 in damages some years earlier for illegal use of our photos and other cases. We do not like litigation as it is costly and time consuming and diverts our attention from our world leading conservation work and hence prefer people to simply do their business honestly and ethically.
- A full legal statement concerning this website and all "snakebusters", "snakeman", "smuggled.com", "Raymond Hoser" and related websites is on the internet at:
http://www.smuggled.com/kotabi2.htm
Please scroll through this entire list before making a selection
All species of Australian reptile and frog.
Surgical removal of venom glands in Australian snakes. Details of the first successful operations.
This is a trademark that is registered and protected (R, TM)
... unauthorised use is prohibited.
Scientific Paper - Melbourne's Snakes - pdf file.
Litteratura Serpentium, 10(2), pp. 82-92 and 10(3), 122-145. (4.1 mb)
(not for the squeamish)
(including snake and related images for download and free reproduction, including as high resolution jpegs).
E-Mail inquiries to Raymond
Hoser adder@smuggled.com