Reptile & Amphibian Forums

U.S. Global Exotics loses appeal in animal seizure case
by SUSAN SCHROCK
posted Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010

ARLINGTON — U.S. Global Exotics will not regain custody of the more than 27,000 animals seized by Arlington, a county civil court judge decided Saturday.

Judge Jennifer Rymell of Tarrant County Court at Law No. 2 affirmed Arlington Municipal Judge Michael Smith’s decision that the international pet wholesaler had cruelly treated the animals, which were removed Dec. 15 in the largest such seizure in U.S. history.

The animals, mostly reptiles and amphibians, were inhumanely confined in cramped and dirty cages and denied necessary food, water and veterinary care, Smith wrote in his order.

U.S. Global Exotics appealed the Municipal Court decision, arguing that the city violated the Constitution in seizing the company’s entire animal inventory without providing enough evidence that all the animals were cruelly treated. The company has been closed since the raid, and the owners, Jasen and Vanessa Shaw, have not decided whether they will reopen, said Lance Evans, an attorney for the Shaws.

Rymell’s decision cannot be appealed. The city will turn over ownership of the animals to the SPCA of Texas, which has cared for them since the raid. The nonprofit agency, which has spent about $10,000 a day on the animals’ care, has already made arrangements with zoos, sanctuaries and rescue groups to give the animals permanent homes.

Source: www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1935380.html

This needs to be a wake-up call for everyone in the pet business: import/exporters, wholesalers, retailers and hobbyists; fail to provide proper care for some of your animals and you could loose them all.

I want to see a detailed inventory and final disposition of these animals. I want a detailed explanation of the costs.
What I suspect is, they pay themselves for the care, their in house Veterinarians for instance. How much money have their Veterinarians made off the animals they were instrumental in seizing. I also suspect the animals will be distributed amongst themselves and their cronies for resale as "Rescues/Adoptions".
Others will be destroyed.
The Shaws should file a law suit against the City of Arlington.
You can't just sit by and let those that have absolutely no subject knowledge redefine acceptable standards and practices through judicial fiat with emotional rhetoric.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Illegal search and seizure. Violation of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution.
The City of Arlington way overstepped it's authority on the word of a non-profit.
Where a citation may have been in order, wholesale seizure was the inappropriate action taken.
This is shameful. Government run a muck and out of control.
This is still America, isn't it?
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Good question John, I don't live in the America I was born in I'll tell you that....
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

"Rymell’s decision cannot be appealed. The city will turn over ownership of the animals to the SPCA of Texas, which has cared for them since the raid. The nonprofit agency, which has spent about $10,000 a day on the animals’ care, has already made arrangements with zoos, sanctuaries and rescue groups to give the animals permanent homes."

Must be keeping them at the Four Seasons. Wonder how many suites that is? I'll bet room service is expensive, too. I want to see those paid invoices. Otherwise it's B.S.

jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Do any Zoos spend that much on their animals care? San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth? $10,000 a day. I doubt it.
This is an outrage!
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

John,

While I cant speak personally for these animals, I can tell you, last year my rescue took in 58 animals from a local pet store that was raided. In 2 months we spent $4000.00 in care, feeding and veterinary costs, including the costs of necropsies because of the court case. And trust me, these animals were maintained in sterile shoe box set ups and rack systems.

One of the drawbacks with neglect cases is that you must have the animals seen by a vet to document the situation. If you do not document, you have no proof of neglect. If you do the vetting, I can tell you, that the cost is excessive. And this is with a 75% discount!
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Well then, these are extraordinary costs, voluntarily acquired and entered into by the Organization.
If these necessary vets are the same ones that participated and contributed to the seizure, that would seem unethical. There is a conflict of interest and impartiality questionable.
Fine. Let's see the documentation.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

From the info I've seen, Global Exotics is not a bandwagon that you want to jump on.

Right or wrong, this is a total miscarriage of justice.
This was NOT a criminal enterprise. Seizure was not necessary.

To the broader audience I say -- this is how all totalitarian governments take control, by protecting the people for their own good as they systematically confiscate their freedom. "For your own good, in the public interest, public safety, I/we know what's best". It's nothing but establishment of a ruling class. It is class warfare.

There is more to this than reptiles. This should be an eye opener for everyone. Those that don't have a dog in this fight should wake up. Their intersts are next.

jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

On another note -- I have been a proponent of a self-regulating professional society with minimal standards and practices, for over a decade now. Especially for the commercial guys.
Whenever you have an unregulated economy, eventually government is going to step in. Re-read that last line. I can't emphasize it enough. Cha-Ching! Governments seek to regulate and control money.
Wouldn't you rather have your peers oversee your industry, rather than some totally obtuse government agency?
It's going to happen sooner than later. So, you fellows decide, who's it going to be? That is the only way the industry will ever get ahead of these "train wrecks".
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

>>On another note -- I have been a proponent of a self-regulating professional society with minimal standards and practices, for over a decade now. Especially for the commercial guys.
>>Whenever you have an unregulated economy, eventually government is going to step in. Re-read that last line. I can't emphasize it enough. Cha-Ching! Governments seek to regulate and control money.
>>Wouldn't you rather have your peers oversee your industry, rather than some totally obtuse government agency?
>>It's going to happen sooner than later. So, you fellows decide, who's it going to be? That is the only way the industry will ever get ahead of these "train wrecks".
>>jsc
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>>"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
>>John Crickmer

John,

I agree with most of what you've said in this thread. What's going on here is something of which EVERY American should be terrified. The collusion of AR groups, the Dept. of Interior and the media is something I thought would be impossible in the United States in the 21st century.

However, this notion of a "self regulating professional society" seems no different to me than gov't regulation. Regulation is regulation, people are people, and irresponsible people are still irresponsible people. One of the illogical beliefs of those who follow the progressive liberals is that somehow the problems that exist in the private sector (ie, greed, unethical behavior, cheating) will magically disappear just because the gov't controls things. That works both ways. Also, in practical terms, how would such a society work? The reptile industry is quite diverse, as are the animals themselves. Who will enforce the rules? What if a breeder/keeper doesn't agree with the "society" leadership, will he/she get blackballed? What if the leadership of the society is corrupted by those with money and an agenda.

I guess my main question is - how will such a society prevent any of the current problems anyway?

Every professional society has one. The individuals that give the hobby/industry a bad name are more than likely the same ones against self-regulation.
Like I said. It's coming. You decide. Gotta be proactive. Get ahead of the curve. I think I'd prefer to have a little bit more control over the spin.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

John, don't get me wrong on this...it was overkill and PITA got good mileage out of it...BUT, there was SO much done wrong, and so much carnage (yes, I know importation has heavy losses)that it was easy pickings for both the gov't AND the media to jump on this one. If we're going to pick a poster child to rally around, I just don't think this is a good one to do that with. There were some horrific examples with GE that were simply unexceptable. If you want a bad example to use, this one was it.

I gurantee this was not the only place that has been infiltrated.

Thanks to those that steered me to some information in an attempt to answer some of my questions on this. From what I read it pretty much confirms my suspicions. Certainly doesn't allay any.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying GE was a bunch of Boy Scouts. However, surreptitious clandestine law enforcement conspiracies carried out by law enforcement, quasi-law enforcement, NGO's, Non-profits/Charities on a bunch of trumped up contrived charges doesn't justify seizing everything. There does seem to be conflicts of interest, featherbedding, double dipping, and questions of ethics when the perpetrators/co-conspirators profit by animals and the windfall from services rendered because of the raid they deemed necessary.
These suspicions of mine have not as of yet been disproved. Quite the contrary. Better watch out retailers. Next they'll be telling you, you've got too many crickets in a tank, or too many dead ones, or not enough water...
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer