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ARLINGTON — A veterinary technician affiliated with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals worked undercover for seven months at U.S. Global Exotics, where he documented the mistreatment and deaths of animals, Arlington officials said Wednesday, a day after they seized thousands of animals from the business.
The PETA insider, interviewed by Arlington animal welfare officials last week, detailed what he observed at the Internet-based exotic-animal wholesaler in the 1000 block of Oakmead Drive. He provided photos and videos, officials said.
On Tuesday, Arlington Animal Services, along with the Humane Society of North Texas and the SPCA, raided the business and seized an estimated 26,400 animals, ranging from tiny frogs and turtles to larger sloths and kinkajous.
Workers, who said the smell of death inside the one-story tan building was overwhelming, also removed hundreds of carcasses.
According to an affidavit released Wednesday by the city, on Dec. 9 agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department seized documents and computers related to an investigation of whether animals bought and sold by the business were falsely identified or labeled in violation of federal code.
The federal agents asked Arlington Animal Services officials to investigate whether animals at the warehouse were being treated cruelly, and later on Dec. 9, city workers interviewed the informant, according to the affidavit.
Among the animals that were alive Tuesday were lizards, a variety of snakes, spiders and crabs, as well as sugar gliders, sloths, hedgehogs and prairie dogs, officials said. The animals, some quite valuable, have been taken to undisclosed locations for care.
A court hearing will be scheduled within 10 days to determine who gets custody of them, said Jay Sabatucci, Arlington Animal Services manager.
No one was arrested Tuesday, but Sabatucci’s office is conducting an animal-cruelty investigation that could result in felony charges, he said.
About the company
The company’s Web site says U.S. Global Exotics is owned by Jasen Shaw and Vanessa Shaw and is licensed with the U.S. Agriculture Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The company sold animals online, primarily to pet shops, animal-welfare officials said.
A sign on the door Tuesday stated: "Not open to the public. No wholesale walk in sales at any time."
The Shaws’ attorney, Lance Evans, did not return a message seeking comment Wednesday.
The privately held business was incorporated in 2003 and has customers in more than 20 countries, its now-defunct Web site says. Jasen Shaw, a native of New Zealand, has been importing and exporting exotic animals for more than 11 years, the site says.
The affidavit also says:
A day before the raid, the undercover tech told Arlington officials that he documented the deaths of 85 reptiles and said he saw another log that recorded the deaths of 218 yellow-belly turtles the same day.
From Dec. 7 to 11, the tech reported the deaths of 85 mammals and 67 reptiles. The deaths were related to illness, cruel confinement and/or lack of food.
Some of the animals, such as hamsters and prairie dogs, had started eating one another because of overcrowding and lack of food. Others died from disease or, in the case of some ball pythons, were crushed by the weight of other pythons in their holding trough.
About 5,000 aquatic turtles were confined in cardboard boxes from Nov. 27 to Dec. 10 without food or water.
Approximately 10 2-liter bottles, the size of a soda bottle, were filled with about 50 live frogs each without food or water.
An injured hedgehog separated from other hedgehogs Dec. 10 died four days later without any veterinary care.
The undercover worker has 15 years’ experience as a veterinary technician, the affidavit states.
SUSAN SCHROCK
Story found at: star-telegram.com, The # *26,000 found at spca.org
The PETA insider, interviewed by Arlington animal welfare officials last week, detailed what he observed at the Internet-based exotic-animal wholesaler in the 1000 block of Oakmead Drive. He provided photos and videos, officials said.
On Tuesday, Arlington Animal Services, along with the Humane Society of North Texas and the SPCA, raided the business and seized an estimated 26,400 animals, ranging from tiny frogs and turtles to larger sloths and kinkajous.
Workers, who said the smell of death inside the one-story tan building was overwhelming, also removed hundreds of carcasses.
According to an affidavit released Wednesday by the city, on Dec. 9 agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department seized documents and computers related to an investigation of whether animals bought and sold by the business were falsely identified or labeled in violation of federal code.
The federal agents asked Arlington Animal Services officials to investigate whether animals at the warehouse were being treated cruelly, and later on Dec. 9, city workers interviewed the informant, according to the affidavit.
Among the animals that were alive Tuesday were lizards, a variety of snakes, spiders and crabs, as well as sugar gliders, sloths, hedgehogs and prairie dogs, officials said. The animals, some quite valuable, have been taken to undisclosed locations for care.
A court hearing will be scheduled within 10 days to determine who gets custody of them, said Jay Sabatucci, Arlington Animal Services manager.
No one was arrested Tuesday, but Sabatucci’s office is conducting an animal-cruelty investigation that could result in felony charges, he said.
About the company
The company’s Web site says U.S. Global Exotics is owned by Jasen Shaw and Vanessa Shaw and is licensed with the U.S. Agriculture Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The company sold animals online, primarily to pet shops, animal-welfare officials said.
A sign on the door Tuesday stated: "Not open to the public. No wholesale walk in sales at any time."
The Shaws’ attorney, Lance Evans, did not return a message seeking comment Wednesday.
The privately held business was incorporated in 2003 and has customers in more than 20 countries, its now-defunct Web site says. Jasen Shaw, a native of New Zealand, has been importing and exporting exotic animals for more than 11 years, the site says.
The affidavit also says:
A day before the raid, the undercover tech told Arlington officials that he documented the deaths of 85 reptiles and said he saw another log that recorded the deaths of 218 yellow-belly turtles the same day.
From Dec. 7 to 11, the tech reported the deaths of 85 mammals and 67 reptiles. The deaths were related to illness, cruel confinement and/or lack of food.
Some of the animals, such as hamsters and prairie dogs, had started eating one another because of overcrowding and lack of food. Others died from disease or, in the case of some ball pythons, were crushed by the weight of other pythons in their holding trough.
About 5,000 aquatic turtles were confined in cardboard boxes from Nov. 27 to Dec. 10 without food or water.
Approximately 10 2-liter bottles, the size of a soda bottle, were filled with about 50 live frogs each without food or water.
An injured hedgehog separated from other hedgehogs Dec. 10 died four days later without any veterinary care.
The undercover worker has 15 years’ experience as a veterinary technician, the affidavit states.
SUSAN SCHROCK
Story found at: star-telegram.com, The # *26,000 found at spca.org
