The practice of using reptiles, rabbits and other small animals as game prizes at carnivals has been increasing. Most of the New England states, New York, New Jersey. Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Dakota, and Iowa have outlawed this barbaric abuse. Maryland also has a law which allows permits, although we have heard that no permits are being issued for live baby iguanas as midway game prizes. Several other states, such as Illinois, Wisconsin and Alabama, outlaw the use of rabbits and dyed chicks, but have not caught up with the reptile craze. There are a growing number of local ordnances, especially in the states of Michigan and Indiana.
Memorial Day weekend, 2004, we got a first hand look at the practice. Even though the game vendors were told by Animal Control Officers that it was illegal in Virginia Beach, they continued most of the weekend and told people that they could not "give" them the iguana, but they could sell it for twenty-five cents. All Virginia currently allowed was a 50 dollar fine. Virginia will be another attempt to pass legislation to ban this abusive practice in January 2006. There is hope that North Carolina will also have a bill to outlaw this practice.
The game vendor told me that he took
care of his animals and that they gave out care sheets. He handed me a
care sheet which stated that up to 15% of the vegetarian lizard's diet should be
ham, crickets and meal worms. It forgot to mention that they need UVB light.
Immediately after the carnival, winners started calling pet stores to take their iguanas. Only one store in town would take them. We left our names in the pet stores. What we found was heart breaking.
 | Two lizards ran away, |
| One died because it wouldn't eat, |
| One was dropped and died from injuries, |
| One was taken and euthanized by a pet store (I won't comment on that here) |
| One was given to a neighbor. |
| One month after the carnival, we took in two iguanas from one home. |
| Two months after the carnival, we took in Binty. Read his story below. |
| Three months after the fair, we took in another iglet that hadn't grown. |
| A local resident rescued another carnival iguana prize from neighborhood boys who were abusing it. This lizard already had metabolic bone disorder and couldn't move its back legs. |
| Four months after the fair, we were told of another fatality among the iguanas that were prizes for children. |
| Six months after the fair, we heard from a pet store in a neighboring city that had to take some of the iguana prizes. We wish to point out that all pet stores in the area are as shocked and outraged as we are. |
| We heard about one from Prince William County that was kept in a shoe box in the garage till the news was broken to mom. |
| We heard of another from Prince William County that is up for adoption and being kept by a neighbor. |
| One from the Virginia Dogwood Festival suffered from metabolic bone disorder. |
| One year after the fair we heard about a few other iguanas. One was still with the original owner. One was given to a neighbor who gave it to someone else. The original owner now owns a bearded dragon that the pet store is force feeding. He has no idea what UVB light is. A third iguana is still with the original owner even though she tried to give it to a pet store. She was told " Do you have any idea of how many people have called to surrender an iguana? The fact is that one carnival exceeded the ability of pets stores and rescues to take the unwanted lizards. |
| Two years after the fair, we were told of two more baby iguanas that died and one that is doing well. |
Binty came in the plastic carrier the carnival game vendor sent him home in. He was the size of a hatchling. The woman says she won five iguanas and four of them died. She told the store that she would release Binty into the wild (a misdemeanor in Virginia) if the store did not take him. This store did not sell iguanas, so they called us. Binty went to the veterinarian and was treated for worms. The lucky survivor is doing very well and growing, although he seems to hate crowds of people.
The carnival midway that provided the space for the game with the iguana prizes in Virginia Beach also had iguanas as prizes at the Fort Bragg, NC carnival, Howard County Fair in Maryland and the Prince William County Fair in Virginia. Two other midways had iguanas as prizes in South Boston and Chase City, VA and reports are that most of these iguanas died, probably a result caused by the October weather in Virginia. This abuse is covered under the Virginia Animal Code as inadequate shelter. Iguanas were also prizes in the Virginia Dogwood festival and the Wayne County NC Fair. Rabbits were prizes in other fairs in Virginia and North Carolina. In 2005, iguanas were prizes at the Winchester Apple Blossom Festival in Virginia and Onslow, Wayne and Stanly Counties and Biscoe in North Carolina.
Most of the complaints come from reptile owners and parents of 9-15 year old children who go to the fair with an older child or another adult. All of the winners that we have met or heard from are under 18 years of age. Most the carnival midways and game vendors with live animals as prizes are from Florida, a state with numerous complaints about feral iguanas.
When encountering these games, please write to the fair board or sponsor, such as the church, mall or fire house that contracted the carnival midway. In states, where this is already illegal, please speak with the local police department or make a complaint with the sheriff's office.
BINTY in May 2005 
 | Mikey and Baby notice the growth? This is a bite from a 12 year old male iguana. See why we think iguanas should not be children's pets? |
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