Back in mid-January, I wrote about a raid on Global Exotics in Texas. The raid took place in December and more than twenty six thousand exotic animals were seized.
This is by far the worst case of animal cruelty that I can ever remember hearing about. These animals were scooped up from their native environment, shipped out then stored in cramped quarters and in some cases even old food containers. Of course, many of the animals died as a result of their treatment. Others became sick or were injured.
The owners of US Global Exotics, Jasen and Vanessa Shaw were divested from all the animals by a judge at a court hearing after the raid. Of course, the owners appealed the courts decision. Because of that things were kind of on hold awaiting a final decision.
Now there is some good news, just the other day Tarrant County Court Judge Jennifer Rymell upheld the decision, so the Shaws will not be getting these animals back.
However, the judge did note that USGE was operated according to industry standards in the exotic animal trade.
Since that is the case, animal activists have their work cut out for them to stop this trafficking. But it can and will be done.
Animals should never be treated like this. From the Care 2 article:
During his time at USGE, PETA’s investigator saw animals crammed into soda bottles, milk jugs, and other containers that were unsuitable for housing animals, to say the least. (PETA’s investigator captured video footage showing a USGE employee trying to shake and pound frogs out of these hellish prisons.) Iguanas and other lizards perished inside mesh bags and “shipping cups,” never even having been unloaded. At least 12,000 turtles remained boxed up for weeks in the facility’s warehouse. In just one day, 657 turtles were recorded on the facility’s dead list.
Read the rest here. But be warned it is graphic.
