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general
what is homeless herps?
Homeless Herps is an organisation that aims to find homes for stray, displaced and unwanted reptiles and amphibians. For more information see our About Us page.
who runs and operates homeless herps?
Homeless Herps is owned and operated by Dr Shane Simpson. Dr Shane is one of Australia's leading reptile and amphibian veterinarians with over 25 years of experience in the field. For more information about him see our About Page.
Is homeless herps operated by Unusual Pet Vets?
When Homeless Herps first started rehoming animals it was owned and operated from Unusual Pets Vet's Peninsula practice in Frankston, Victoria. Unusual Pets Vets are Australia's largest group of veterinarians providing care for unusual and exotic pets such as reptiles, amphibians, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats, mice, fish, invertebrates and Australian natives.
Due to logistical challenges and a requirement for more space, Dr Shane Simpson decided in late 2025 to move the program out from Unusual Pet Vets and operate Homeless Herps as it's own separate entity. We work closely with the team of veterinarians and veterinary nurses at Unusual Pet Vets to ensure all our animals receive the very best veterinary care available.
Dr Shane Simpson is one of the owners of multiple Unusual Pet Vets practices around the country.
where is homeless herps located?
Homeless Herps is located in Somerville, Victoria, Australia. Our pick up and drop off location for animals is in Frankston, Victoria.
is homeless herps licensed and inspected?
Homeless Herps holds a Vagrant Permit (#15349232) issued by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) pursuant to the provisions section 28A of the Wildlife Act 1975. We are currently the only organisation to hold this type of permit in Victoria and as such are the only program authorised to legally acquire, receive and possess wildlife from licensed Wildlife Controllers, employees of DEECA and other unlicensed sources for the purpose of marking and rehoming of wildlife to persons with an appropriate wildlife license, exemption or authorisation. The permit contains 27 conditions that Homeless Herps must adhere to in order to retain the permit.
In order to obtain and retain this type of permit Homeless Herps is required to provide DEECA with an extensive Rehoming Management Plan that details such things as experience with reptiles and amphibians, how the animals are to be housed, what quarantine measures are in place and how the adoption system works. In addition to this plan, officers from DEECA regularly inspect the facilities and monitor the animals that come through the Homeless Herps program.
is homeless herps a not-for profit or charity organisation?
Homeless Herps is not a not-for-profit or charity organisation. As such we receive no financial support from Government grants or other relevant institutions. Homeless Herps operates on the funds generated by charging adoption and surrender fees.
animals
where do the animals available for adoption come from?
We obtain our animals from a number of different sources. These are:
- Officers from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. These officers may seize animals from keepers due to welfare concerns, wildlife license infringements or for other reasons.
- Officers from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. These officers are responsible for preventing the illegal smuggling of Australian native wildlife in and out of the country. Reptiles and amphibians that are intercepted being smuggled are brought to us to be rehomed legally.
- Authorised snake catchers who find stray, dumped or translocated animals.
- Other rescue groups and animal shelters such as Reptiles Victoria and Forever Friends Animal Rescue.
- Zoos, wildlife parks and veterinary clinics. Often animals come into theses facilities as either being found by members of the public or dumped at the facility.
- Members of the public. People may find an animal that has either escaped from its owner, been abandoned or transported from its native area.
- Surrendered animals from people who are no longer able to care for their pet for a number of reasons.
why can't translocated animals just be sent back to where they came from?
It is not uncommon for wild animals to come into the care of Homeless Herps that have been translocated from their native area in fruit, flowers, plants and other freight. Examples include "Banana Box Frogs" and carpet pythons from Queensland.
Unfortunately it is not possible to simply send these animals back and release them. Reasons include:
- Translocated animals must be released back to exactly where they came from to reduce the risk of spreading disease and death from being released into unknown territory. In most cases this information is not known and so it would be very dangerous to just let an animal go anywhere.
- There are not the resources to ship translocated animals back to where they might have come from.
The sad reality is that if Homeless Herps did not exist all these wild translocated animals that come into care would be euthanased. It may not be the ideal solution to bring them into captivity but it is the best alternative available.
Can i have animals tested for parasites, viruses and other diseases?
Depending on the species being adopted you will be given the option to select if you would like faecal, viral or other infectious diseases testing to be performed. These tests have additional charges associated with them and these charges are outlined in the adoption form.
Should an animal test positive for a parasite or an infectious disease, Homeless Herps will discuss what the ramifications of this result is and work with you to determine a best course of action. The fee for any testing is non-refundable as the onus is on the adoptee to perform the testing. Homeless Herps cannot guarantee that any animal is free from an infectious disease at the time it is placed up for adoption.
adoptions
how do i adopt an animal from homeless herps?
For all information regarding adoptions, including how to apply for an animal, please see our Adoptions page.
can i buy an animal directly from Homeless Herps and avoid the ballot?
Homeless Herps does not sell directly to private reptile keepers. All animals that become available are offered through a ballot system. This keeps everything transparent and fair for all.
can i view an animal before entering a ballot?
All animals are available for viewing up until the time the ballot closes. If you wish to view an animal this must be organised for a mutually agreeable time between yourself and Homeless Herps.
can I adopt more than one animal at a time?
All animals that are available for adoption are listed individually. We do not offer adoptions of multiple animals together.
If you wish to adopt multiple available animals please enter the ballot for each individual animal. If you win the ballot for multiple animals Homeless Herps will contact you to confirm that you wish to adopt more than one animal.
I do not live in victoria. Can i still adopt an animal from homeless herps?
Anyone living in Australia is able to enter the ballot for any animal providing that the species being offered can be legally kept in the state which you live in.
Should you win the ballot you will be responsible for organising and paying for all freight and transport from our collection point to your location. We do not personally transport animals to the airport or other locations for pick up. In addition you will be responsible for organising the required Import permit from your relevant State authority, if required. Homeless Herps will organise an Export permit from DEECA.
i do not live in australia. can i still adopt an animal from homeless herps?
Due to Australia's strict biosecurity and quarantine laws it is impossible to adopt an animal and have it freighted overseas. There are no permits or authorisations that allow this to occur.
can i have someone else pick up the animal for me?
Should you be unable to pick up an animal in person, it is possible to organise for someone else to collect the animal on your behalf. If you require this then please inform Homeless Herps prior to pick up with the name of the person who is collecting the animal. Failure to do so may result in refusal to release the animal.
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fees and payments
how are your adoption fees determined?
The adoption fee for each animal is determined by Homeless Herps.
When an animal comes into care a number of factors are considered when setting the adoption price. This includes the species involved, the likely demand for it, the effort it requires to house and feed it, it's likely age and health etc. We research what one would sell for on the "open market" and will often reach out to breeders and shops to get an accurate idea. A fee is set that is fair and is always less than what the species would likely sell for privately or from a shop. The ultimate aim is to get the animal rehomed and not to make a huge amount of profit.
The reality is that it costs money to run Homeless Herps. Feeding, housing equipment, software expenses, electricity and time all add up . Homeless Herps is run as a business and it needs to at least cover these costs. There is a substantial amount of paperwork that needs to be followed through on with new owners and DEECA. That is not to mention all the questions that get emailed or messaged that need answering.
Homeless Herps operates solely on the funds obtained through adoption and surrender fees. The fees charged and collected are vital to keep the program operational.
how do I pay Homeless Herps for an animal?
Should you win an animal in a ballot Homeless Herps will send an invoice to you via email and SMS. This invoice can be paid directly using the link provided in the communication. Alternatively the invoice contains our banking details and payment can be made by direct deposit.