Smuggling kittens!!!!

[alter ego]

I've just turned the telly on where it was already on Q - just in time to hear the Kipling woman tell the viewers that her cousin smuggled two stray kittens through Customs in one of her bags.

Frankly, I'm appalled. I belong to the Bat Trust where they issue advice not to pick up injured bats over here because of the risk of rabies. As a kid I had to watch local hunters destroy a colony of racoons carrying the rabies virus. Anyone who has ever seen an animal (or human) infected with this dreadful disease would also feel as strongly as me that people smuggling animals into this country need to be punished to the full extent of the law. We're thankfully free form rabies here due to strict measures, but there are always the stupid few - my next door neighbour brings a kitten home from her European holiday every year. I make sure I keep away from her for at least a month after she's home and also kept my dog on his lead anywhere near the house and in the garden for that time, too.

Maybe I'm being a bit over the top here but Google rabies and then imagine it being in our wildlife population or infecting our pets or families.

It's not big and it's not clever - as some of the others round the table obviously thought, judging by the "don't smuggle" comments (even delivered laughingly).

NHS views: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/rabies/Pages/introduction.aspx

 

[maymorganlondon]

Be interesting to see if there are consequences.... I like the idea of the police watching QVC for crime tip-offs!

I would agree that this is a singularly selfish thing to do.

 

[May]

Omg ..that is awful thing to say ......hope it was a joke or something ...!!!

 

[May]

After all the hullabaloo with Johnny Depps doggies ...does not sound very clever to do it and then somebody let the ...cat out of the bag ....sorry ...( not a joking matter I know ) ...figure of speech

 

[donna255]

If she wanted to save the kittens, then should have done it through proper channels.

 

[May]

Lp

I've just turned the telly on where it was already on Q - just in time to hear the Kipling woman tell the viewers that her cousin smuggled two stray kittens through Customs in one of her bags.

Frankly, I'm appalled. I belong to the Bat Trust where they issue advice not to pick up injured bats over here because of the risk of rabies. As a kid I had to watch local hunters destroy a colony of racoons carrying the rabies virus. Anyone who has ever seen an animal (or human) infected with this dreadful disease would also feel as strongly as me that people smuggling animals into this country need to be punished to the full extent of the law. We're thankfully free form rabies here due to strict measures, but there are always the stupid few - my next door neighbour brings a kitten home from her European holiday every year. I make sure I keep away from her for at least a month after she's home and also kept my dog on his lead anywhere near the house and in the garden for that time, too.

Maybe I'm being a bit over the top here but Google rabies and then imagine it being in our wildlife population or infecting our pets or families.

It's not big and it's not clever - as some of the others round the table obviously thought, judging by the "don't smuggle" comments (even delivered laughingly).

NHS views: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/rabies/Pages/introduction.aspx

I remember the adverts for the warning about rabies ...firghtenend me to pieces ....a few years ago ...the pics of the symptoms were horrendous ...haunted me

 

[lynnonthelake]

Well it was kind hearted of her but very irresponsible .

 

[alter ego]

Lp

I remember the adverts for the warning about rabies ...firghtenend me to pieces ....a few years ago ...the pics of the symptoms were horrendous ...haunted me

Haunted me, too. Normally timid, cute racoons behaving like something out of a horror movie. The ones furthest gone were so very obviously in agony.

It was a relief when a load of guys in camo rounded up as many as they could and shot them. I was glad to leave and will never go back. I can only assume other animals had the virus, too, but it seemed to have been contained (in the eyes of a nine year-old), domestic animals and pets corralled or kept inside etc. I assume countries where rabies is present are used to these measures. I just wouldn't like to see it in the UK.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I too have seen animals with rabies and it is anything but a laughing matter. This is the reason the original quarantine period was 6 months. I would keep away from any suspect animal for at least that period of time.

 

[Brissles]

I assume it was Marie-Francoise that said this. Well, for a start she's a bit of an air-head to have even mentioned this on tv where 'millions' would be listening, and not expect some sort of furore as a result ! What IS it with these people ? she's not stupid enough to know it wasn't legal, but to actually blather about it on air just shows the (lack of) intelligence on her part. What will she be admitting to next ? .... diamonds in the bottom of an aerosol can ? fags in the false bottom of a Kipling bag? the mind boggles.

 

[Weathergirl]

The words "smuggle" and "through customs" inbthe same sentence imply knowledge that it is wrong! Airhead my a**e.

 

[maymorganlondon]

The words "smuggle" and "through customs" inbthe same sentence imply knowledge that it is wrong! Airhead my a**e.

I agree with you.

The "caring" people who are smuggling animals through customs probably never give a thought to the possible consequences for other people's pets, or for the risk to other humans.

 

[warwa100]

I'm presuming it's just me, but how would anyone get a kitten through customs without it being noticed???

 

[miss molly]

Yes she did say 'I shouldn't say this' and then reeled off the tale laughing and said they got them through customs and onto a flight home in a Kipling bag:mysmilie_11: So much for xray machines.

 

[Brissles]

very true ! how on earth did they get past the x-ray at security ???????? beggars belief that something tiny and 'moving' would get through and not be spotted, so God help us all as to what else gets missed !

 

[May]

Maybe There is a stress at qvc to up sales and cute kitten stories will help ....me cynical? ....nah lol:mysmilie_59:

 

[loveheart]

Maybe There is a stress at qvc to up sales and cute kitten stories will help ....me cynical? ....nah lol:mysmilie_59:

I was thinking the same thing. Kittens make a change from the usual bottle of water, gym shoes, book, lap top, umbrella etc that fit in a Kipling.

 

[alter ego]

Warwa and Brissles - my neighbour manages a kitten a year through Customs. Helps she's young, pretty and will flirt with anything, male or female (but specializes in older, richer men), so probably dazzles bored officials. I always pegged her as extremely air-heady-bordering-stupid, but judging on her possessions (that she happily shows all the neighbours) a mix of stupid and pretty/flirty seems to be the way to go these days. Some form of evolution maybe.

I do wonder what she'd do if one of her "cuties" turned out to be rabid, though. I know she doesn't hang on to them long as she only ever has two at a time.

 

[maymorganlondon]

Warwa and Brissles - my neighbour manages a kitten a year through Customs. Helps she's young, pretty and will flirt with anything, male or female (but specializes in older, richer men), so probably dazzles bored officials. I always pegged her as extremely air-heady-bordering-stupid, but judging on her possessions (that she happily shows all the neighbours) a mix of stupid and pretty/flirty seems to be the way to go these days. Some form of evolution maybe.

I do wonder what she'd do if one of her "cuties" turned out to be rabid, though. I know she doesn't hang on to them long as she only ever has two at a time.

Just shows how good the border controls are, doesn't it?

Presumably she's selling them on for a profit (assuming she didn't buy them wherever she's coming in from).

Maybe we can expect to see a tv exposé on kitten smuggling, coming to a tv near you soon?!? They had one about puppy farming on last night :sad:

 

[May]

Sex sells as they say .....and I really hope this does not go on lots of times ..l like many adore animals ...