Update on 26 thousand exotics seized in Texas -- and a request for help!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

For those of you who have been following the story of the raid on U.S. Global Exotics in Texas in which thousands of reptiles and small animals were seized, the animals are now being released to local animal rescue groups for adoption.

Here is am email from my sister describing the dire situation there. Rescue groups handling this crisis need massive help with materials and funding to care for and adopt out these animals. If you can do anything to help out, please do! You can contact my sister's group to help or contact the SPCA of Texas to find the names of other rescue groups to help -- I would avoid giving $$$ to the SPCA and give it directly to groups that will be caring for the animals instead -- money given to the SPCA stays with them and does not make it to fund the groups who are taking on the animals.

And if you have any place in your heart for an animal that has been through hell and needs a place to call home, there are literally thousands in need.

Hell Hath No Fury

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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/arlington/stories/DN-critters_02met.ART.State.Edition1.4b8cfe8.html

SPCA enlists at least 30 groups to take exotic animals seized in Arlington raid
February 2, 2010
By RANDY LEE LOFTIS / The Dallas Morning News
[e-mail]

After a judge's weekend ruling affirmed the city of Arlington's custody of 26,411 animals found in an animal dealer's warehouse, the SPCA of Texas was busy Monday arranging new guardians for the animals.

The SPCA has arranged for 30 rescue or other groups to take control of the animals and has arrangements pending with 20 other groups, said Maura Davies, the group's senior director of communications...

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From my sister:


"Good eveeeening all.

I wanted to wait to tell you all what is going on in our neck of the woods these days.

As you may or may not know, the SPCA of Texas was awarded 26,000 animals this last Friday night. The case was U.S. Global Exotics (scum of the earth people from New Zealand who are now back in New Zealand and may they stay the hell there now) vs. the City of Arlington. Over 27,000 animals were seized from the Arlington location - a two-story warehouse that was infiltrated by a very brave PETA investigator (who was also a vet tech and specialized in reptiles).

We were appalled to see the first shots of the animals being removed. You would not have been happy during the hearings. I went to two days' worth of video, audio and pictures. I now have profound sympathy and respect for snakes and scorpions.

- 400 iguanas left in burlap bags on the loading dock in freezing weather because their sale/shipment fell through.
- Black emperor scorpions left for dead in their bins. Live ones removed, help was asked for. Live ones and dead ones were then thrown into the dumpster.
- Frogs - lets not go there...
- Prairie dogs - cannibalizing.
- 700 hedgehogs. Still having babies.
- Hamsters - the water system failed, you got to hear hamsters screaming as they drowned.
- Snakes completely neurologic as they died from starvation/dehydration

you see, there was no food in the entire place for the animals when the seizure took place. Nothing. OK, something. A head of wilted lettuce in the filthy fridge along with a bag of carrots. And only 3 people trying to care for all those animals.

The snakes were mostly not fed for almost an entire year. No kidding.

I don't have to watch the SyFy channel for horror movies. I just have to tune into USGE for that.

We are a transfer partner for the SPCA and are now accepting several hundred reptiles/amphibians/hamsters and adopting them out. Petco has offered us 23 of its north Texas stores to help adopt out the massive quantity (over 1,000 hamsters for God's sake!) of animals that we are going to take on. How cool is that?!!! And you heard me - ADOPT out.

I didn't want to say anything until we had the green light to move forward, so now the word can slip out!! My bedroom is cleaned out, a wish list of supplies/containers has been made (Petco has it), and we are set for Monday morning to meet at the SPCA and start picking up the kids. We will be incredibly busy driving all over the place and setting up here at the house that day. Some are headed to Houston, the American toads are headed to Tennessee to a dear friend of mine's house (hi Patricia!), and the list goes on.

I am so proud of the people who stand around me. Lindsay has spearheaded this effort and made all the connections and initiated all the conversations. As kids are adopted out, more kids can come in from the SPCA to us. As the word gets spread, more people who know the heck what they are doing can help - even if it's just one hamster, heck - it's one that will live out a happy and loved life!!!

So if you would like to help, in whatever way you can, let me know. And you know that I never ask for anything (: Even if you just give a 10 paws up to our effort, then even that's wonderful. At the end of the day, it's all about the animals. About caring, about caring, about caring. And all of these kids, the ones who have survived, (7,000 have died since the seizure in December), will, God willing, go to kind and loving homes. No breeding, no exploitation, no expectation except food and appropriate housing.

Just wanted you all to know. (: Will send pics of it all as it happens on Monday.

Diana
Wild Rescue, Inc./Rabbit Rescue
http://rescuedrabbits.org

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SPCA of Texas
2400 Lone Star Dr.
Dallas, TX 75212
Main Phone Number: 214-742-SPCA (7722)

[Mari333]

1. god, human beings, what a rotten species we are

but god bless people who help the innocent.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. Yup, we stink sometimes.

Which is why I often prefer the company of my pets to the company of people.

It seems the asshole who ran the place had done this before -- he would get busted somewhere then setup shop in a new locale. Unbelievable he was still trying to get custody of all the animals back after being exposed. Total scum of the earth.

[Mari333]

4. sigh. me too.I have my little rescued animals all around me.

they are my little family. every one a rescued little guy. god knows what would have happened to them . so innocent.

[wryter2000]

3. I wish I lived near there

I'd take a few slithery babies. Snakes are such wonderful creatures!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

8. If you are interested ---

My sis might be able to arrange transport. I live in SF --if she could get them to me, I could get them to you. Lemme know!

[wryter2000]

9. I PM'd you

I live in Oakland, so an exchange could be easy. Let me know what kind of scaly baby needs a home.

:hi:

[sharesunited]

5. Snakes or scorpions, snakes or scorpions. I can't decide.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

6. Hamsters, chinchillas, wallabys --

sloths -- those are just some of the other, nonreptilian aniamls that were rescued. :D

[wryter2000]

10. Sloths?

Those bastards had sloths? A sloth isn't a dog. It needs very special care. I hope you can find a zoo for them. :cry:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

7. Kicking back to the top --

:)

[babyblonde]

11. how can i

help?

[flvegan]

12. PETA needs to step it up.

Yes, they did a great job busting them and they've done a great job underwriting a lot of the costs, but they've got bigger pockets and they have the soap box to sound off from to far more folks than the people doing the trenchwork right now.

I made a call to HSUS on this today, and I'll be making a call to PETA buddies on Monday.

Thanks for posting.