Just watching animal 24 7 and the RSPCA rescued a skunk. Apparently they originally thought it had had its scent glands removed but then it turned out not to have. Because it still had the glands the zoos that had offerered it a home changed their minds.
apparently it is  quite a simple operation to remove the glands but it is now illegle due to the animal welfare act as it is cosmetic.
This meant that the RSPCA were probably going to put the skunk to sleep as it would be hard to re home.
Now how is it OK to KILL a perfectly healthy animal but not OK to give it a simple operation to enable it to have a happy life?

Why did the zoo refuse the skunk "with" glands?
Surely not because of the smell?
Zoo's generally stink!

Plus its a tad hypocritical of a zoo, where many mammals and birds cannot exactly have all of their 5 freedoms, under the Animal Welfare Act.

yes, the zoo was going to take it until they found out it hadn't been de scented.
As it turned out the skunk got a home but I relly don't understand how the RSPCA can keep saying that they want what is in the animals best interests and  yet were quite happy to kill this sunk.

Tis true that 'fully loaded' skunks are the only ones you can buy UK captive bred, imports however can come in descented.

Its not difficult to rehome them at all there are many homes out there for them via the reptile community alone let alone other specialists hobbists.I know a few breeders who do contracts with return to breeder clauses like we do with the dogs but obviously they have the same problem enforcing said contracts especially if the R$PCA get their hands on them.

As always the R$PCA won't work with the specialist hobbists rather work towards banning such hobbies and animals!

> As always the R$PCA won't work with the specialist hobbists rather work towards banning such hobbies and animals!

The skunk was homed with an exotic animal enthusiat, who allready had 5 skunks :) The new owner was very concerned about the skunks previous diet, as it had been living 'rough'. He suspected, due to the fact is was over-weight, it had been surviving on a diet of junk food from rubbish bins. He was preparing it a fresh meal of veg and mealworms :)

ETA, the skunks were all house-pets, roaming freely around the house and perfectly at ease with the resident dog :)

> Now how is it OK to KILL a perfectly healthy animal but not OK to give it a simple operation to enable it to have a happy life?

If they are not allowed to remove the scent glands, then they have no choice. Putting the skunk to sleep would be kinder than having it stuck in a cage at the RSPCA for the rest of it's life.

I really think the problem is a ZOO (that would have us belive, the animlas in thier keeping, are given a natural life as posible), not wanting a skunk that has it's scent glands, especially as it is ILLEGAL to have the scent glands removed!

I'm so glad a new home was found for the skunk, the new owner seemed so pleased to have a new addition to his household. Didn't the skunks he allready have look so happy :)

I watched this too i wondered what happened to the skunk at the end as i had to go out befor it finished, he was a hansome little fella.

My youngest daughter loved the skunks and then correctly identified a dog toy squeaky one in a shop a few days later, she's only 3!  We always watch animal 24/7 but nearly threw the tv out of the window when they were handrearing newborn grey squirrels for release       8oO!!!

Who was hand rearing them?