PETA'S Informant of Animal Abuse Leads To Seizing More Than 20,000 Animals

This is why, when PETA does their "not so normal" awareness campaigns, it's not that important. Without PETA, just on this case alone, how long would these animals have had to suffer before someone noticed them?

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ARLINGTON -- A veterinary technician working undercover for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals at U.S. Global Exotics in north Arlington documented the mistreatment and deaths of thousands of animals, many which he said were kept in cramped containers without food and water for more than a week.

The PETA insider, interviewed by Arlington animal welfare officials last week, detailed numerous examples of cruelty he observed during the past seven months at the Internet-based exotic animal wholesaler, located in the 1000 block of Oakmead Drive.

On Tuesday, Arlington Animal Services, along with the Humane Society of North Texas and the SPCA, raided the business and seized more than 20,000 animals, ranging from tiny frogs and turtles to sloths and kinkajous. Workers, who said the smell of death inside the one-story tan building was overwhelming, also removed hundreds of carcasses.

Arlington Animal Services interviewed the confidential informant Dec. 9 after being asked by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to investigate whether animals at the location were being treated cruelly, according to an affidavit released by the city Wednesday.

Earlier that day, the federal agency had seized documents and computers from the business related to its investigation into whether animals bought and sold by the business were falsely identified or labeled in violation of federal code, according to the city document.

Animal officials have called Tuesday�s raid the largest of its kind.

Among the animals that were still alive were lizards, a large 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.

Federal investigation

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department is investigating whether U.S. Global Exotics violated Title 16 USC 3372 (d) of the Lacey Act, which makes it unlawful for any person to make or submit any false record, account, or label for, or any false identification of, any fish, wildlife, or plant which has been, or is intended to be� (1) imported, exported, transported, sold, purchased, or received from any foreign country; or (2) transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

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