1000's exotics seized

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Thous...-79323622.html

"I'm a dog man myself, so it's hard for me to understand how someone would like something exotic like a wallaby or a tree sloth," Sabatucci said.

hah some people just dont understand I guess.

Those people deserve to go to jail for keeping those animals in such harsh conditions. I do completely disagree with the reporter's interview guy and say that anyone should be able to own any animal, as long as the husbandry is what the animal needs.

just what we needed

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Denial Re: 1000's exotics seized

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just what we needed

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Talk about timing........

Maybe it is. It could be the future if they end up banning everything. I'm just sayin'. If our market for buying our exotics legally goes away, then this is something we will probably be seeing a lot more of. Sad, but possibly true.
This reality needs to be brought up.

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Originally Posted by cardell75

Talk about timing........

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Kind of convenient timing huh

yall want to know whats really sad, most of those animals will be put down :(

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Thous...-79323622.html

Well Us global sure has helped the other side with this screwup :mad:.They had thousands of starving mistreated exotics being confiscated today.I bet everyone will be shown to those voting to stop us having exotics to :mad:.Thanks alot :mad::mad::mad:

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/1832470.html

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“This wasn’t a pet shop,” said Jay Sabatucci, an Arlington Animal Services manager. “This was a multimillion-dollar business. It was cheaper for him to let them die than to have someone take care of them

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So far, authorities estimated the cost of removal and relocation at about $100,000.

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Yeah... so make them pay ten times that. If they grossed that much money then why dont you confiscate that too. Thats like bernie maedolf not giving back the money he stole from people (like claiming to be selling high quality properly cared for pets)

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“This is one of the most heart-breaking things. I saw hundreds of deceased iguanas and stopped counting at 200,” said Maura Davies, spokeswoman for the North Texas division of SPCA. “There were at least a dozen more.”

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Does it sound like this girl doesn't know how to count OR exaggerate numbers? lol something in that paragraph just sounds wrong.

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This is not the first time that the company has been in the news.

In June 2003, Shaw was asked by an Agriculture Department agent to delay the shipment of prairie dogs, after one of the animals was infected with monkey pox. Authorities at the time believed the disease came from a shipment of African rats that was sent to an animal dealer in Chicago. The infections led to a rash of cases in the Midwest.

Shortly afterward, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention banned the sale and transport of prairie dogs, fueling a national debate on whether they should be sold as pets.

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Please dont say ban please dont say ban please... :please: aawwwwwww

Evidently this was the SECOND raid :O.They were raided for something else and the agents made a report on the dead animals.All i can say is THANKS ALOT IDIOT :mad::mad::mad:.Now because of his actions our hobby might suffer :mad::mad::mad:

I dont see how this could have any effect on exotic animal breeding/sales though. Just because one company grows too big and becomes corrupt (cough GM, cough AGI, cough AMERICA) doesn't mean that all companies are like that.

Plus, this is a story about the health and safety of exotic pets. Its not saying they spread some foreign disease or harmed anyone... we have pigs and cows and birds to do that! :rofl:

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Originally Posted by Edbean

I dont see how this could have any effect on exotic animal breeding/sales though. Just because one company grows too big and becomes corrupt (cough GM, cough AGI, cough AMERICA) doesn't mean that all companies are like that.

Plus, this is a story about the health and safety of exotic pets. Its not saying they spread some foreign disease or harmed anyone... we have pigs and cows and birds to do that! :rofl:

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The media and the nonherp lovers will make it look like we are all like this idiot.Watch the video and notice the lady repeats "they have a anaconda" in there.That one sentence stands out and makes people freak out ;).

Ya well people are morons and the media just perpetuates their fear/stupidity.

Somehow, I think they just got the season finale for Animal Cops...

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Originally Posted by steveboos

Those people deserve to go to jail for keeping those animals in such harsh conditions. I do completely disagree with the reporter's interview guy and say that anyone should be able to own any animal, as long as the husbandry is what the animal needs.

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Don't be so sure that what you see on the news is the truth. Big Gunns knows another breeder with a pet business that was raided and they said some of the same things(not Maryland). They took containers out of an incubator with hatching snakes and said. "They had babies hatching out with no water and left to die". They did get their animals back, but it took a while.

You guys are doing exactly what we complain everyone else does. You're believing what you see on the news.:taz:

However, like BG stated on the other thread about HSUS. Unfortunately, there is some truth to what happens at importers.

http://cbs11tv.com/local/Exotic.star...2.1371325.html

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I hope they are prosecuted.

I hope they spend a long time in jail

Wow, what is wrong with people?!?

Raid on exotic animal delivery company in Texas finds skinny snakes, rodents eating each other


Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...#ixzz0Zs1Ns7MT

It is unfortunate. But lets be optimistic. There are lots of puppy mills busted and things like that, yet we don't see people calling for bans on all dogs.

I don't think it makes us as a community look bad, it makes the people who did it look bad.

Well I think that there is a little good news with this. At least the animals that are alive will be saved and hopefully go to a place where they can be cared for properly.

I do think however that news like this only hurts us. You can tell 100 positive exotic animal stories and 1 bad one...what do you think is going to stick!

That is just horrible to read

wow...

Read between the lines people. How many of you keep your snake exactly like this? "such as snakes in a 72-degree room with a lamp over them, which is not enough heat and could cause them to die."

This sounds like a Freedom breeder to Big Gunns. "Hundreds of rodents were crammed in small containers covered with wire,"

Again, are they supposed to jump out on their own, or does it take some time to unpack them? "and there were numerous stacked shipping containers still holding turtles and other reptiles that had been sent to the company,"

Listen, although BG doesn't exactly like the practice of importing huge numbers of animals(BG is "actually" against it himself nowadays..there are enough breeders of lots of animals), this case may not be exactly what it seems.

What this case should say to everyone who import/exports large numbers of exotic animals(BG doesn't) is this. You really better be on your toes, because you could easily be next.

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Originally Posted by BPelizabeth

Well I think that there is a little good news with this. At least the animals that are alive will be saved and hopefully go to a place where they can be cared for properly.

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Several rat rescues in Dallas and surrounding areas are prepared to take the Norway rats pending the outcome of the hearing. Local ferret rescues are also onboard and attempts are being made to make arrangements for the other small mammals. I don't belong to any other herp boards so I have no idea if any rescues will be helping the reptiles.

Hopefully any animals regardless of species that are healthy enough to be rehabbed and rehomed will be.

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Originally Posted by accidental777

Maybe it is. It could be the future if they end up banning everything. I'm just sayin'. If our market for buying our exotics legally goes away, then this is something we will probably be seeing a lot more of. Sad, but possibly true.
This reality needs to be brought up.

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people will not see it this way though. many will want an all out ban in the name of stopping this type of situation rather than making it more common. the good people will be punished for the actions of the bad.

God, in my state too :(

I actually liked Arlington, that is where they have the TX NARBC's.

Thanks a lot guys, you don't have to worry about us being in the news anymore, that was the last nail in the coffin.

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Originally Posted by joepythons

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Thous...-79323622.html

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Originally Posted by snakecharmer3638

http://cbs11tv.com/local/Exotic.star...2.1371325.html

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I hope they are prosecuted.

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Originally Posted by NYDragon

Wow, what is wrong with people?!?

Raid on exotic animal delivery company in Texas finds skinny snakes, rodents eating each other

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...#ixzz0Zs1Ns7MT

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Merged :gj:

That is so sad I am at a loss for words. Our hobby was so at risk already!:(

I refuse to take any ownership to this inhumane, dispicable business practice. I hope the herp community isnt affected, because this is not something 'we' did. This IS animal cruetlty and this IS illegal, immoral and unethical. These people broke the law, and I would never, ever take any remote ownership of that. Never:mad:

Every single person on these merged threads believe exactly what was said by the people interviewed about this place. HMMMMMMM...wonder what everyone else thinks when they see something about Burmese Pythons on the loose(this is correct spelling) in Florida. They think exactly what all of you are thinking. Everything reported is the 100% truth. If we(BG isn't) are gonna do it, we can't complain when everyone else does.

This place may have been the worst place an animal could ever visit(hope not), but until BG sees all the evidence, he isn't gonna judge....."judge" just like we are being "judged" as reptile owners. "Judged" without all the true facts.:taz: Let's hope that the "true facts" are exactly what's reported about reptile keepers..... LIES and misinformation.:taz:

Interesting article on the recent seizure of 200,000+ exotic animals from a dealer in Arlington, TX.
http://pjboosinger.viviti.com/entrie...-case-on-point


From the last line of the Warrant issued for the seizure:

"Wherefore, the Affiant requests the humane euthanasia of all seized animals, as deemed necessary by a licensed veterinarian, in order to prevent suffering."

http://media.star-telegram.com/smedi...filiate.58.pdf

PETA is essentially ordering that all animals be euthanized. You all remember how PETA kills animals, right?

Strange that the inspection record is good up until the undercover PETA guy started to work there something strage about that i am sure.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_wel...074-B-0520.pdf

In Arlington, TX, a large exotic animal breeder's warehouse was raided after authorities gave Arlington Animal Services information about the deplorable conditions. Very, very sad. This gives GOOD breeders a bad name. Not all breeders are like this.

Also, please remember there are animals that need rescuing out there. So think rescue first when you can.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-bea...-79361527.html

I think that rescue is being taken from bad conditions and placed in good conditions, and then going to a permanent home.
I do not think that rescue is being taken from bad conditions, and then killed.

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Originally Posted by ER12

Interesting article on the recent seizure of 200,000+ exotic animals from a dealer in Arlington, TX.
http://pjboosinger.viviti.com/entrie...-case-on-point


From the last line of the Warrant issued for the seizure:

"Wherefore, the Affiant requests the humane euthanasia of all seized animals, as deemed necessary by a licensed veterinarian, in order to prevent suffering."

http://media.star-telegram.com/smedi...filiate.58.pdf

PETA is essentially ordering that all animals be euthanized. You all remember how PETA kills animals, right?

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You're right, that is interesting. So this Mike Bass is an animal control officer? And he's requesting the confiscation and euthanasia of all animals (I'm assuming this is all 200,000 animals that were seized?) soley on the evidence supplied to him by the Confidential informant that was working for PETA? It'll be interesting to see how the court case goes... Of course all the animals will have been euthanized by the time this even sees the inside of a court room.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I think that rescue is being taken from bad conditions and placed in good conditions, and then going to a permanent home.
I do not think that rescue is being taken from bad conditions, and then killed.

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I agree. I certainly hope that rescue organizations will be involved for those animals strong enough to be rehabbed/placed. I know the Hedgehog Welfare Society (www.hedgehogwelfare.org) is shaking up their network to get transportation, donations, and foster homes.

SLOW DOWN PEOPLE!!!!

You all are being WAY too quick to judge based on facts provided by ONE of the parties involved!!!

Shame on you!!!!



Someone could bust into my house right now and write the following story:


Hundreds Of Animals Rescued From Importer. Many Animals Were Dead Or Dying.


SPCA officials confiscated hundreds of dead and dying animals from the residence behind me. Peta Officials alerted the Florida SPCA after receiving a tip. When officials arrived they found their worst nightmare. Hundreds of dead or dying exotic animals.

The home owned by Michael Cavanaugh had hundreds and hundreds of African imported rats kept in the garage. They were kept in small storage tubs piled on top of one another with wire tops. upon further inspection investigators were able to identify half eaten rat carcasses in some of the tubs because the rats are starving. The disease that could easily come from dead animals laying around is a real threat to humans. Like most rodents, these imported African rats are known carriers of lethal diseases, and are already banned in most states. One of the rescuers was bitten by a rat that he said acted as though it had rabies, and is undergoing tests at Shands Jacksonville and is said to be in stable condition. "All these rodents in these small tubs dying of starvation, dead rats laying around, this is all a toxic situation"

Mr. Cavanaugh had over 100 imported Giant snakes throughout the house mostly in tiny storage tubs. Animal specialists don't know how these Giant snakes of the Ball Python species could survive much longer in such small tubs where the animal had very little room to move around, and could not even see outside of the tub to have the benefit of sun light. "Inside the tubs were snakes that looked very skinny and were obviously dying" said the expert, who could clearly see their spine. "Their was no food source inside the tubs... just a bowl with an inch or two of water. The bottoms of the tubs were lined with newsprint that can be lethal to reptiles. Several of the tubs had feces and urates in them." "Keeping large snakes in such a confined space with feces is disgustingly cruel, and just a disaster waiting to happen. It's not IF it will happen but WHEN!" according to one peta official.

"We looked in one room where he had turned a modified cooler into a makeshift incubator. Inside were over 50 hatchling Ball Pythons (like the one that killed a girl in South Florida) each small tub had 5 to 10 hatchlings in it, and all looked on the verge of death skinny as if they have never been fed. Again, no food source in the tubs, just wet paper towels. And to top it all off, this incubator was in his 11 year old sons room!!!" said the Peta official.

He also had many other species of exotic reptiles including imported leopard geckos, crested geckos, cornsnakes, and even deadly poisonous coral snakes that he didn't even have the proper licenses to own!

One neighbor who didn't want her name listed said "we had no idea that there were thousands of animals suffering in that house. He seemed like a normal guy who kept to himself. I sure am glad they caught him. Certainly it was only a matter of time till one of those giant snakes escaped and killed someone like in South Florida last year" Another neighbor was quoted as saying "To know that he had a potentially deadly colony of these diseased African rats is just unbelievable. Shut him down NOW. To think there were children living in such unsanitary conditions is absolutely criminal. I know for a fact that one bite from one of those coral snakes and you are DEAD!


In case you didn't know:

* Any time you produce large numbers of ASF's, you will end up with some babies that just don't make it... Anytime an ASF dies, the other ASF's will begin to eat it, usually immediately. This has NOTHING to do with a lack of food. Obviously I will remove the carcass as soon as I see them, but often times it is eaten within just a few hours, only leaving a little bit of the hair behind. Also, it is quite common for especially newer moms to eat a few kids.

* When you have a hundred snakes, at any given time there will be a few tubs with poop and urates in it. Unfortunately there is no alarm that sounds the instant a snake poops.

* Most uneducated people consider the way most of us keep snakes to be inhumane...

* All non snake people, and most snake people, mistake my Arizona Mountain Kingsnake as a Coral Snake.

very good post Mike hopefully some others will see what you are saying. yourself and our modern day hero BG have made very good points.

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

SLOW DOWN PEOPLE!!!!

You all are being WAY too quick to judge based on facts provided by ONE of the parties involved!!!

Shame on you!!!!



Someone could bust into my house right now and write the following story:


Hundreds Of Animals Rescued From Importer. Many Animals Were Dead Or Dying.


SPCA officials confiscated hundreds of dead and dying animals from the residence behind me. Peta Officials alerted the Florida SPCA after receiving a tip. When officials arrived they found their worst nightmare. Hundreds of dead or dying exotic animals.

The home owned by Michael Cavanaugh had hundreds and hundreds of African imported rats kept in the garage. They were kept in small storage tubs piled on top of one another with wire tops. upon further inspection investigators were able to identify half eaten rat carcasses in some of the tubs because the rats are starving. The disease that could easily come from dead animals laying around is a real threat to humans. Like most rodents, these imported African rats are known carriers of lethal diseases, and are already banned in most states. One of the rescuers was bitten by a rat that he said acted as though it had rabies, and is undergoing tests at Shands Jacksonville and is said to be in stable condition. "All these rodents in these small tubs dying of starvation, dead rats laying around, this is all a toxic situation"

Mr. Cavanaugh had over 100 imported Giant snakes throughout the house mostly in tiny storage tubs. Animal specialists don't know how these Giant snakes of the Ball Python species could survive much longer in such small tubs where the animal had very little room to move around, and could not even see outside of the tub to have the benefit of sun light. "Inside the tubs were snakes that looked very skinny and were obviously dying" said the expert, who could clearly see their spine. "Their was no food source inside the tubs... just a bowl with an inch or two of water. The bottoms of the tubs were lined with newsprint that can be lethal to reptiles. Several of the tubs had feces and urates in them." "Keeping large snakes in such a confined space with feces is disgustingly cruel, and just a disaster waiting to happen. It's not IF it will happen but WHEN!" according to one peta official.

"We looked in one room where he had turned a modified cooler into a makeshift incubator. Inside were over 50 hatchling Ball Pythons (like the one that killed a girl in South Florida) each small tub had 5 to 10 hatchlings in it, and all looked on the verge of death skinny as if they have never been fed. Again, no food source in the tubs, just wet paper towels. And to top it all off, this incubator was in his 11 year old sons room!!!" said the Peta official.

He also had many other species of exotic reptiles including imported leopard geckos, crested geckos, cornsnakes, and even deadly poisonous coral snakes that he didn't even have the proper licenses to own!

One neighbor who didn't want her name listed said "we had no idea that there were thousands of animals suffering in that house. He seemed like a normal guy who kept to himself. I sure am glad they caught him. Certainly it was only a matter of time till one of those giant snakes escaped and killed someone like in South Florida last year" Another neighbor was quoted as saying "To know that he had a potentially deadly colony of these diseased African rats is just unbelievable. Shut him down NOW. To think there were children living in such unsanitary conditions is absolutely criminal. I know for a fact that one bite from one of those coral snakes and you are DEAD!


In case you didn't know:

* Any time you produce large numbers of ASF's, you will end up with some babies that just don't make it... Anytime an ASF dies, the other ASF's will begin to eat it, usually immediately. This has NOTHING to do with a lack of food. Obviously I will remove the carcass as soon as I see them, but often times it is eaten within just a few hours, only leaving a little bit of the hair behind. Also, it is quite common for especially newer moms to eat a few kids.

* When you have a hundred snakes, at any given time there will be a few tubs with poop and urates in it. Unfortunately there is no alarm that sounds the instant a snake poops.

* Most uneducated people consider the way most of us keep snakes to be inhumane...

* All non snake people, and most snake people, mistake my Arizona Mountain Kingsnake as a Coral Snake.

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mike you got busted too? :rofl::rofl::rofl:

has there been anything new on this story?

Hi,

Theres a farily extensive thread about it on fauna with a link to the peta video entered into evidence.


dr del

Very extensive discussion on the BOI!!! And very hot!! Not in a positive "ooo ur cute" kind of way. As Dr. Del stated there is a very hard to watch video link toward the end of the thread. I don't want to condem anyone...because we clearly don't see all the facts and I am not a judge. And to me the two snakes they showed had IBD. Not the fault of the company. But there were several things in there that were very hard to swallow. While I understand that when you break down the dead animals it was less than 1 or 2%. I hope that wherever life takes me I don't ever quantify dead animals with a cost of doing business.

I know like 8 different people with Hedgehogs. Whats so surprising about those?

500 of the reptiles came to PHS. We picked them up on Thursday and we loaded them all out today, so they are all in tubs now. The albino Burms were the nastiest things ever, they bit everything they could. Even themselves. The one I had put its tail in its mouth and wouldn't let go. The Ball pythons were probably the nicest ones out of the entire thing.

In two weeks I'm going to try to foster two Ball pythons and some other colubrids if I can, this situation was just so horrible to hear. I'm more than shocked.

We also had to euthanize three snakes. Two Cook's Tree boas had a bad case of RI and had mouth rot, and I think one of the baby Red Tails had IBD.

Hi,

If you get confirmation the boa had IBD then I would really advise against trying to adopt any of the animals until you know they are clear. :(

At this point you are relying on good quarantine proceedures from everyone who has been taking care of the snakes - and that probably includes people who knew nothing about them or the diseases they could carry.

The last thing anyone wants is for your charity and kindness to lead to the death of your existing collection. :please:


dr del

I would not bring those snakes into my facility...let alone work with them, and return to my own collection.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

If you get confirmation the boa had IBD then I would really advise against trying to adopt any of the animals until you know they are clear. :(

At this point you are relying on good quarantine proceedures from everyone who has been taking care of the snakes - and that probably includes people who knew nothing about them or the diseases they could carry.

The last thing anyone wants is for your charity and kindness to lead to the death of your existing collection. :please:


dr del

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I definitely have a room to quarantine the snakes in, but for the next two weeks all of the snakes will be watched to see if any of them have diseases and need to be treated. So I'm sure they'll give me the word of what they want to stay and what I can foster.

I'll also check over the snakes while I'm there just in case I notice anything, so if I notice anything odd I would be sure to not take it with me. There was one specific baby Ball that broke my heart, it was so skinny it looked to be a stick. That one may be sick, but I could always take it back if I notice anything or while I'm there and ask for treatment since it is their snake I am fostering for. I do know the precedures to take while these animals would be in my care (such as cleaning their enclosures last, feeding last, sanitizing the tongs, cleaning my hands after handling or dealing with them, etc.).