Officials seized thousands of exotic animals from a Texas business earlier this week in what is being considered as the largest animal seizure in the United States. Officials seized nearly 20,000 exotic animals from Arlington-based U.S. Global Exotics after receiving a tip from federal authorities who were conducting an undercover investigation at the same location.
According to reports, chinchillas, hedgehogs, sloths, wallabies, snakes, turtles, frogs, tarantulas and other animals, were found at the location. Along with live 
animals, hundreds were found dead. Many were crammed into small containers and were starving. Some of the animals killed other animals and resorted to cannibalism.
The animals were removed from the scene and relocated at an estimated cost of $100,000. Veterinarians from the United States and one from Great Britain are evaluating and treating the animals. The Humane Society of North Texas and SPCA of Texas are also assisting in the massive endeavor.
In what officials describe as a “multi-million dollar business,” the U.S. Global Exotics is in the business of importing and exporting animals all over the world. “We are a full line professional live animal importer and exporter. We offer high quality animals of all descriptions with attention to high quality, reliability and customer service. Currently we offer the widest selection of animals in the industry.” The company website is currently unavailable.
While no charges have currently been filed, the investigation continues. A hearing will be held to determine whether or not the animals will be returned to the company or remain in the care of animal welfare groups.
Sloth photo by Ontley
Hedgehog photo Jürgen Howaldt
‘A hearing will be held to determine whether or not the animals will be returned to the company or remain in the care of animal welfare groups.’
You’d think -given the circumstances – it would be a foregone conclusion that the animals wouldn’t be returned… but I suspect Texas law will see them as property and they’ll be returned… but I hope I’m wrong.
I’ve been to that warehouse many times. I’ve seen pallets full of fresh apples, bananas and greens. I’ve seen boxes of crickets stacked 8 feet high that come in every week to feed those animals. I’ve seen the workers there going nonstop for 12 hour days, 6 and 7 days a week, cleaning and spraying the cages, changing waterbowls and feeding thousands of animals. I’ve seen the state of the art cages Jasen had imported from Germany, to keep his animals in. These cages cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and weeks to install. The story out there is just plain wrong about Jasen and Global. If you are wondering why it is not an open and shut case, and why he should get the animals back, that is why. PETA is no friend to pet owners, any time, any place, period. PETA has killed 95% of the dogs and cats in their care. That is documented at over 20,000 animals since 1998. And the media (the ONLY source for these details) has sensationalized every detail they can get their hands on. This is one of the few calm and rational versions of the story I have read, but unfortunately its based on the only details available; the sensationalist and exaggerated reports from the day of the raid, and the testimony of PETAs informant.
PETA has NO clue what to do with these exotics and probably over 90% will die int heir hands or be put down! Discusting that they are the culprits in this and they are clueless as to what is involved in the exotics. These are animals shipped from overseas who arrive sick or dead and often the US GOVERNMENT RETAIN animals far too long in quarantine before companies like Global can claim their animals. I would be more than happy to link you the 1000′s of deaths in ONE shipment that has happend to for animals, where is PETA in this?
Now the clueless idiot undercover from PETA should have done a few years of research on exotics, their poor immune systems, shipping conditions, regulations, and so much more BEFORE stepping foot into such a deal. PETA…get your facts before you misinform the public of your claims and wants to shut the exotics industry down with acts like this. These are not dog breeders you are trying to shut down, you can’t tell the USA we can’t own exotics and reptiles or insects…back off now and go back to the puppy mills!
For the rest who are clueless and read headlines, you should learn the real story of this industry before you just assume anything.
“you can’t tell the USA we can’t own exotics and reptiles or insects”
And that people is the very attitude that is causing so many problems in the USA. Im not a PETA supporter, but without a doubt, you SHOULD NOT be allowed to “own” ANY wild animal PERIOD. I don’t care if you’re American or African – wild animals belong in the wild. Americans may think that have the right to “own” any animal they want. WRONG.
It doesnt matter how much was spent on cages and food. The point is that these animals don’t belong in cages. They belong in the WILD.
I hope this person and company is prosecuted, but knowing the laws in Texas, he’ll be allowed to continue with this unlawful, cruel and inhumane trade in exotic species.
Shame on the USA, I’m just so glad we don’t have such ridiculous laws in Australia.
It would probably be a good idea not to import any exotic animal for sale unless it is for zoos etc. One reason is they are sometimes released into the habitat because owners can’t keep them. The everglades has thousands of pythons now and it has been determined they could spread north of Florida. Some types of pythons can live in climates as cold as Vermont. There are 50,000 invasive species running rampant in the US.
PETA is an extreme, radical organization. Their ultimate fruitcake goal is to ban all types of pets,including cats and dogs. PETA kills animals. Don’t ever turn your pet over to them. They will kill them. They wanted to kill all of Michael Vick’s dogs. All but two of his dogs were adopted out.
I just think it’s plain wrong to keep animals in those kind of conditions. It’s okay to import and sell these animals, but they deserve to be taken into good hands. This warehouse was totally wrong for what they did! Me being a hedgehog owner myself, I feel furious when I heard about this! Hopefully these poor exotic animals can go to CARING homes and sanctuaries soon.
I firmly believe that wild & exotic animals should never be imported into any country. No matter how careful the importer is, the capture & journey to the USA is way too traumatic!
Plus, how many people know how to keep an exotic safe & healthy? Generally They are bought as a curiosity, as a status symbol or just on impulse. Lets do away with the trade and encourage people to stick to buying domestic animals which are born & bred in the purchaser’s country.
As I told my children & grandchildren if its “born free, it should stay free!”
I don’t believe that animals should be housed so close together and in the thousands upon thousands. Some of these animals have delicate respiratory systems and to be caged near certain animals can mean serious illness. I do not agree with how business was run in this warehouse and some may say they saw the place and it looked fine, but you do not know what happens behind closed doors. Cleary, with the hundreds of animals coming out of there dead, dying, ill, and wounded…these animals were not treated the way they should have been. It’s sad too, that these wild animals are going through this. For many it is probably too late to be reintroduced to the wild and hopefully they will find new loving homes where they will get the care they need and deserve.
I have bought a bearded dragon and a leopard gecko from a local pet store and I happen to be good trends with the owner of the local store. I know for a fact they both came from us global. Both of my lizards came in great health and I have never had a problem with either of them. I know that’s only two of many thousands of animals. But don’t you think that if they where in such bad conditions prior to my purchase of them they would have been at least a little bit sick or otherwise imperfect? My friend that owns the pet store has never had a problem with the company, if he had he wouldn’t be in business after years of dealing with them. I their defense, I only have two lizards and have spent at least a thousand dollars on housing alone not including what it costs to keep them fed and healthy. Imagine that times 20000 or so.
saying that peta has no idea of how these animals should be treated is a bold faced lie.
did you see the footage from the undercover peta worker who got a job there and how the owner of global said that it is too expensive to get the medical attention all of these animals need and deserve or how they were starving them due to it being more cost efficient or how about the tree frogs that were being kept in a milk jug yea thats state of the art.
or did you see the part of that video where the owner of global was laughing as he tried to sell a snake that had been in a fight and broke its jaw and lost an eye to a worker THATS RIGHT SELL HIM AN ANIMAL THAT NEEDED SEVERE MEDICAL ATENTION. AND WAS LAUGHING ABOUT IT… that makes me sick i have a few exotic animals and they are not that hard to care for given the proper diets and living conditions.
Jasen wanted to make as much money and did not care how the animals were treated to make his money.
these animals are being lined up to foster homes and to shelters as i post this they have to wait for Jasen to decide weither or not to appeal the case he has till monday if he does it will be ten more days for him to lose that case and the animals will start being placed so 5-15 days from now the animals wil start being placed
Joseph is right! Those of you who have attacked PETA should be ashamed of yourselves. PETA exposed U.S. Global Exotics for what it was; an animal concentration camp:
http://blog.peta.org/archives/2010/01/us_global_exotics.php
PETA, like shelters across America and around the world, euthanizes sick and/or injured animals for whom there are no homes. What do you want them to do, build a dog and cat zoo, store them in a warehouse? PETA also helps animals in need: http://www.helpinganimals.com/about_us.asp
You all should re-direct your hate at those who cause these problems (breeders, irresponsible dog and cat owners, places like U.S. Global Exotics, etc). Don’t shoot the messanger because you don’t like what the messanger is saying!
What about Vet records, Custom records, aren’t these organizations monitored long before an undercover operation is needed or launched? Seems to me another Govenment intervention, media blowout that could have been handled a lot better. Any mention of the animals that died being shipped after being seized in the winter by know it all Peta lovers? Another bussiness crushed by government…..and liberal organizations.
Somebody here clearly apologizes and works for these culprits. It was massive and filthy animal warehouse with tens of thousands of animals dumped into severely crowded and filthy boxes, bins, troughs, and even soda bottles and left there, often without food and water, basic care, or minimal veterinary attention for life-threatening injuries. this is a welcome blow against the exotic trade and illegal wildlife trade in general.