So upset!

[Running Elk]

I'm so upset right now.

About a week ago my front door broke. I complained to the maintenance in my apartment. Despite being an emergency, as it was very unsafe, it took four days for maintenance to come. They finally came on the forth day. I was asleep but my room mate was up and let the guy in. Without asking, without letting us know, he walked around our home discretely taking pictures of my pets (snakes and bunnies). I didn't know until today.

I get a call today, from some woman in the company saying he sent a bunch of higher-up people in the company all pictures of my home. My pets are well maintained, and despite being a bit cluttered, my home is normal. I have nothing to hide. However, this felt extremely violating. She told me the animals looked "extremely well cared for", but had some concerns that they'd destroy the property. I confirmed they wouldn't, and abruptly made some changes to my rabbit's enclosure to ease her worries/our tension. After making these changes, I called her to let her know. My pets are allowed in my lease. The property has changed hands so many times that a past landlord grandfathered in all of my pets for my own protection. These people are relatively new to owning this property.

I thought all was fine, but then she started asking about my snakes. Long conversation made short, she thinks the rack system is cruel and that they need tons of room to exercise and lots of light. She said she owned snakes as a kid and wonders "how much I let them out for exercise". She has NO IDEA about any BP husbandry. NONE. I explained that the rack held humidity and temperature well, and that my snakes shed and ate better in it. I explained that they are nocturnal. I also explained that I adhere to industry standard as far as my breeding racks go, and that I go a step further by making sure everyone has a hide, a rock or SOMETHING to shed on and for "enrichment". She was like, "okay", but I have a really bad feeling. My snakes are extremely well fed, clean, and healthy, and (as if it matters to them to be held) I handle them almost every day, which I told her. Which is also true. Apparently the maintenance guy is some sort of animal rights guy, and he's pissed that I have pets and that each snake doesn't have like it's own master bedroom (not literally, but thinks they need excessive space). The woman I spoke to supported his photos he took without even asking me. She said "it was his right" and that "I had no right" to be upset.

I have already spoken to a real-estate lawyer, and she said technically it (his photo-shoot) is legal, however unethical and unprofessional it is. I have grounds to terminate my lease early just due to neglecting to fix a broken front door for four days. However, I don't want to leave the place I live in.

This isn't my first instance with maintenance and a huge breach of my comfort/privacy. The first time I called maintenance I was alone with a female friend, and the guy who came in lingered (wouldn't go when the job was done until we basically told him to GTFO sternly) and made really off-color, uncomfortable and semi-aggressive remarks of a predatory nature (about us, our bodies, making gross "jokes", lots of questions about our love lives and way way way too many statements about his) and I complained to the managing company and was completely blown off. Different guy. But I'm beginning to be afraid to call for maintenance. When I mentioned this instance AGAIN today, it was once again blown off, despite feeling like another hugely violating situation. I got a half-hearted "I'll talk to maintenance about it" sort of answer.

I've lived here for four years, through about five different owners/property managers, and never once have I experienced anything like this. I was always on very good terms with my landlord AND the maintenance people, who traditionally have been respectful and interesting in the animals.

I'm so upset. I feel SO violated. My snakes are my world, and I'm more upset about being interrogated about my snakes then what happened the first time maintenance came. I'm in the rabbit community and a lot of people who have excellent husbandry get 'raided' by HRS (rabbit PETA) people, have animals stolen, and spayed/neutered or given away before they can even do anything to fix it. Entire breeding projects have been destroyed by these people. I don't want to be harassed by freaky animal rights people. I don't want to come home to find that this maintenance guy, who has access to keys to my home through the property managers, went in and stole my snakes and released them, or some crazy thing. I feel very uncomfortable with my home being photographed inside and out, without my consent or even knowledge, when I keep a good home, keep my animals well (which the woman agreed with besides her rack concerns!) and would have gladly walked them through and shown them my pets had they asked. I'm not breaking any laws, or my lease, but I have this pit in my stomach that I can't shake. Again, I feel so so so violated and really anxious. Thoughts? Opinions? Support?