The woman taking on authorities to keep her five crocodiles at home
A Victorian woman is fighting authorities to keep her crocodiles at home with her.
Vicki Lowing, of Rockbank west of Melbourne, has been sharing her home with crocodiles for 40 years.
Fovian, a male freshwater croc, has been looked after by Ms Lowing for 11 years.
Johnie is 23 and a female. Her and Fovian have had two offspring, who Ms Lowing hatched in an incubator. They’re called JJ and FJ.
Jilfia is a three-metre long saltwater croc and completes the family. She freely wanders around the home.
Croc owner told the 3m saltie has to go
Ms Lowing said the state government’s environment department claims she is not complying with regulations and wants her to get rid of Jilfia.
She added the environment department said she’s refused to renew her licence.
Ms Lowing told Sunrise she tried to have her licence renewed last year but she hadn’t met safety requirements. She added it’s mainly to do with enclosures she keeps her crocs in.
“But lots of it seems to be made up stuff like I treat my crocodiles more like domestic pets than actual caged animals and they mentioned by record book,” she said.
“Just things that didn’t seem very valid.”
Ms Lowing said she reapplied for her licence this year but was told she hadn’t met the code of practice in regards to the enclosures which “doesn’t make a lot of sense because they don’t explain why”.
“There is a safety risk but the saltwater crocodile is completely locked up in an enclosure,” she said.
“And the freshies aren’t dangerous to humans and the room is locked.”
She added she also has a “fenced area”.
“So, there’s an extra safety barrier there,” Ms Lowing said.
When asked if she understood why there could be concerns about a three-metre saltwater crocodile wandering around a backyard, she said “yes, but I don’t like to be forced to do it”.
However, Ms Lowing added she knew the time would come when Jilfia would need to be “moved on” due to her age and the croc’s size.
Ms Lowing wants to keep the freshwater crocs
“That’s not the problem,” she said.
“My biggest worry is, my freshwater crocodiles – Johnie especially who I’ve had for 23 years and I feel threatened that they’re going to take her,” she said.
“And I don’t think that’s very fair. It’s like having your children torn away from you.”
Once Jilfia moves on, she plans to move the four freshwater crocodiles into her enclosure.
A spokesperson for Victoria’s Environment, Land, Water and Planning Department said the matter is being dealt with by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
However, the spokesperson said the department supported the cancellation of the demonstrator’s licence.
“Given the matter is before VCAT it would be inappropriate to comment further,” the spokesperson said.
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