FAO Ray Hale and anyone else incensed by this nonsense!!

[James Box]

having watched the clip, i was expecting far worse, but that doesn't make it right.
it's pretty much just luck that nothing was hurt!

[Colin D Wilson]

I for one don't watch any programmes with the two "insert insulting word here" gobby idiots in it, and i've purposely not watched the clip on principle.
The scenario with the any animal used in this manner is disgusting, film making is a different matter as there's more time to concider the wellfare of the animal and wait for the right oportunity to start filming. These "competition shows" are fast becoming a nightmare for anyone who has a smidgen of respect for the animal kingdom.
As for training and safety observation of the goings on, well, training an invert is a task even Seigfried and Roy would have a job with, but i'm sure a professional animal handler would be able to teleport across the studio and grab the tarantula just in time before it bit or any damage was done to it
The letter Marie received back was, in my opinion, a standard template used for any animal cruelty related issues (just insert persons name and animal species in relevant gaps and email back as it were)
Shows just how much interest and care they really have in my opinion.

[Phil Rea]

That was complete stupidity. The spider could have bitten her, and they've obviously never heard of urticating hairs either judging by the way she rubbed her head and shook hands with the idiot presenter afterwards.

To add to Colin's comment, didn't one of Siegfried and Roy get badly mauled by one of their so called 'trained' tigers? You can only train a wild animal up to a point (not spiders obviously). However, underneath the surface it always remains wild.

[paul fleming]

Imagine if she had urticating hairs in her lungs.......it would be a different story then.....no more smiles and laughter then I bet.
You can't really expect much more from idiots really but she is always welcome to come around to mine and try the same thing with some of my animals........that would be fun but not for her I can assure you all.
Paul

[Nicola Dolby]

I've breathed in urticating hairs before Paul, its not funny at all trust me. Denny I wouldn't recommend putting any spider through that, though I would bear it if she had to do that with a H. infensa. Provided the two "presenters" had a go first. Following on from Jamie and Maria's suggestion, would it be possible for a official BTS response to ITV please Ray?

[Peter Kirk]

Before this all gets out of hand...........

In my opinion, we need to consider the matter rationally before letters and emails go flying off all over the place. I think we all agree that to use a tarantula in this way is not appropriate - the spider could abviously be harmed and so could the individual taking part in the "show" and this would do no one any favours.

However, I don't believe that we have any legal recourse in terms of breaches of animal cruelty and, as the TV company have stated, they have strict guidelines in respect of how the animals are treated (I would be more interested to see what those guidelines actually are and then we would be in a better position to see if they had been breached in any way).

I did not watch the show on Saturday, but I did watch the clip and two things struck me; yes, she was pretty heavy handed and the tarantula COULD have sustained some damage (but, fortunately, didn't) and, secondly, I am surprised it didn't give her a bite!

I've tried to be really objective about this. The truth is that I've had spiders do a runner whilst I've been cleaning, feeding or whatever and my attepts to catch them have been clumsy at best. I could have been bitten and the spider could have been damaged (luckily, to date, neither has happpened). I am guessing that perhaps it looked worse than it was (though it looked pretty bad) and they have stated that both a vet and a "certified" (by whom I do not know) animal handler so they are in effect covered.

Ray has sent an email to the programme and is to my knowledge awaiting a response, but he and many others of us are acutely aware that newspapers, tv companies, etc. probably view the BTS in a "certain way" and despite our best efforts over the last 25 years that is unlikely to change in the near future. In my experience, the more you jump up and down the less likely they are to take any notice.

In reality, only a few people have responded regarding this and we have to be careful that the vocal few are actually representative of the silent majority.

As I said at the beginning, the above is my personal opinion only and I am happy to discuss it further with anyone who wants to. I would ask that you do not bother Ray with this at the moment for personal reasons, and if at the end of the discussion a decision is made to contact the programme by one of the committee, I am willing to take that forward.

Incidentally, I keep snakes as well, but I am really surpised that no one mentioned the poor old hedgehog that got twatted half way across the box!!

[matthew spooner]

the problem with Ts and the media i think is down to the fact that the government fails to protect them at all. for reasons i am in total disagreance with, inverts are not covered by the animal welfare act. unfortunately this allows alsorts of people, media and irresponsible keepers alike to get away with treating tarantulas hwo they like

[michaelmckinney]

I didn't bother to watch the clip, as I only would have annoyed myself, but like Pete said they have covered their asses with the "trained professional" bull. They have covered themselves and no damage was done, so off scott free as usual. This type of thing is beyond a joke caused by the ignorant masses that just think, "Ughh a big hairy spider!!!", unlike switched on people like us that see them for the fascinating creatures that they are. As for the snake, didn't see it, but I know countless people that live around me, that keep T's and snakes for the purposes of scaring their mates, and don't bother to actually learn anything about them or watch their behaviour. A good example is a very experienced friend of mine who owns a reptile shop in Belfast, has over 100 T's and various snakes, including a Sidewinder Rattlesnake. Another shop owner decided to bad mouth him to everyone, saying he knows nothing about animals and is very irresponsible keeping a venomous snake. Regardless to say she had a Western Hognose snake in her shop and didn't know the snake was rear fanged and venomous!!!! And she is met to give other people advise, unbelieveable.