Children living in the Fraser Valley will once again have the chance to get up close and personal with tarantulas, lizards and some very big snakes.
Mike Hopcraft, also known as “the reptile guy,” has re-opened his business in Abbotsford after being forced to shut down when new laws governing the ownership of exotic species came into play in 2010.
The new rescue centre is a new home for more than 60 reptiles.
“We had a facility sort of similar to this, but once the new rules came into play, no body was allowed to set foot in this facility, because there were not to view to animals,” says Hopcraft. “With that happening, our funding went right down, and we pretty much had to shut down.”
Hopcraft has taken in a countless amount of reptiles that he used to keep, at one point, at his Surrey home.
When the exotic species regulations, which include alligators and pythons, came into place he was forced to send his menagerie to Ontario, Alberta and the Greater Vancouver Zoo.
Even though he had to give up his dream, Hopcraft kept getting calls from people who didn’t want their reptilian pets, so he re-opened his rescue sanctuary again.
But this time he says he has no illegal animals, and hopes that by opening up this new centre in Abbotsford, where the public is welcome, it will help him raise the $2000 he needs every month to keep it running.
“We were trying to get to ten thousand dollars, to get everything built and the stuff we needed, but we only raised 6500, so it’s been a very shoe-string budget,” says Hopcraft. “To top things off, our van exploded last night, so now we have no vehicle for the rescue.”
But the BC SPCA has concerns about Hopcraft’s centre, and hopes the government will tighten the wildlife act further.
“Unfortunately, exotic animals are a problem in British Columbia, whether it is reptiles, amphibians or other species,” says Sara Dubois with BC SPCA. “We are concerned about the long-term sustainability of a facility like this. It is set up with the best of intentions and I think we can agree with Mr. Hopcraft that these animals should not be pets and they should not be sold.”
Global News did speak with a spokesperson for the B.C. Department of Natural Resources they weren’t able to comment on “the reptile guy” at this point.
As for Hopcraft, he’s hoping to expand his business, and include illegal species one day, with the proper permits in place.
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