Again ... the word 'husbandry' ... these animals are 'family' which you are duty bound to take care of, more or less as children/etc?
I totally agree on this point, but people like the ones in question are the reason for certain clauses in most states' neglect laws that allow for a warning system: ie; if an animal is seen kept in improper conditions (not overtly starved/abused mind you) the owner is given a notice, instructions on how to fix the problem, and an amount of time to fix a problem. In some states, the warning system is that an animal kept in improper conditions must be removed from the property, but if the neglect was found to be accidental and the owner cooperates, there are no charges. Only if someone refuses to fix their mistakes would they be charged; it's a safeguard for well-meaning but totally ignorant pet owners.

neglect your children and see what happens - do people get away with saying "Oh, I didn't know I needed to change the nappy"/etc?
Haha, you'd be surprised how many do get away with that, our foster-care/social services programs are pretty badly underfunded. :P
This is actually exactly what I was saying in my earlier post.. It's VERY easy to be misinformed about a garter snake, even if you think you've done your research (lots of faulty info on the internet and many large-scale venders misinform people). I mean, a baby is generally born in a hospital where doctors tell you exactly what to do and expect, baby products have their own aisle in Wal-Mart and come with precise directions on the back just in case someone doesn't know, and finally there aren't lots of rumors going around saying that it's okay to feed your baby cyanide or keep it outdoors or anything else that could be compared to the conditions in this situation.

Also, a baby will let you *know* if you're doing something wrong. You don't change the diaper, and you're going to hear about it until you do. If a baby is sick, it acts in a way we would recognize as sick. Snakes don't do this. Their behavior doesn't really change enough for someone not used to snakes to catch on that their snake isn't thriving.
idk... I just feel that that comparison is probably somewhat unfair...