I also agree with your view of poor husbandry...I have picked up several hawks and falcons that had to be euthanized because the well-meaning homeowner had kept the injured bird in a box with some paper towels and fed it bread for a few days...I really do believe, though, that the growing existance of "nature" shows has done wonders for the general public insomuch as far as educating them on basic habits and food preferences of many non-domestic animals. I regularly give talks at schools around the state, and the difference in education (re:animals) is amazingly different from a decade ago. In fact, most people I talked to yesterday (checkout cashiers, a waitress, gas station attendant, etc) actually KNEW what a blue ring octopus was, and that it was deadly...you have to admit, it certainly is a sensational animal!
I too have taken in my share of sick iguanas, pythons, boas, etc...and it does get depressing. But I have found that most of the people, once educated on the mistakes they may have made, will not do it again. The pet trade is a little to blame for this...I have often heard pet store
salespersons (now how is THAT for PC, Tony?
) tell a potential buyer that "this a special breed of burmese python that only gets to be 5' long, etc..." Especially with our rotten recession going on, stores are doing anything they can to sell animals and tanks, however possible. I make a point of only buying from local stores that have a honorable and intelligent sales staff, and I go out of my way to support them...when the Phoenix Zoo calls me looking for a weird type of fish, I send them straight over to the store I buy from...and it has proven to be good for everyone involved.
Bottom line? Perhaps common sense is the only meter stick we can use here...it certainly seems simple enough.
Greg