ARLINGTON ― A hearing was held Friday afternoon in the Arlington Municipal Court to determine if animals sized from an exotic animal wholesaler were cruelly treated.
The city has asked that U.S. Global Exotics be forced to give up thousands and thousands of its animals.
Along with the SPCA of Texas and the Humane Society of North Texas, the City of Arlington raided U.S. Global Exotics under a search warrant on Tuesday. The city said it confiscated nearly 26,900 live animals such as lizards, snakes, fish, hamsters and frogs, but it also took out 603 dead animals.
The city official over animal services testified little food and water were provided for the creatures at the time of the seizure. They were kept in cramped containers, some of which held live and dead, cannibalized animals. Those rescued were taken to an undisclosed location where they are currently being held.
U.S. Global Exotics sold the creatures over the Internet to buyers around the world.
During the hearing, attorneys for the company spent their time questioning whether procedures were properly followed for the execution of these search warrants. They also questioned the conclusions of city officials that the animals appeared cruelly treated.
The city is investigating whether criminal charges should be filed.
No conclusion was come to during Friday’s hearing. It will likely continue next week.
