Hundreds of small pets meant for adoption may have been turned into reptile food
Hundreds of small pets may have been flogged and killed for reptile food after being put up for adoption, it has emerged.
The San Diego Humane Society (SDHS) transferred 323 animals from California to the Humane Society of South Arizona (HSSA), expecting the South Arizona body to put the rabbits, guinea pigs, and rats up for adoption. Instead, HSSAZ sold the small pets to a business that sells live and frozen animals for reptile feed. Both humane societies have said the animals were not taken to the shelter they were sent to.
The Phoenix business, called the Fertile Turtle, run by Colten Jones is now being investigated by Arizona police. According to officials at both humane societies, the 323 animals arrived in Tucson on Aug. 7 but were not taken into the shelter there.
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Both humane societies involved have now put out statements (NBC San Diego)Jones reportedly sent a text to a man, who chooses to remain unidentified, the same day the delivery of small furry animals arrived in Tuscon, according to KVOA. Jones wrote: “Do you have the ability to freeze off a bunch of guinea pigs and or rabbits?”. The unidentified man responded: “I don’t have the manpower or labor to be able to do it in time for the show and it’s too much time for me.” The show he referred to was likely to be an upcoming reptile show in Arizona.
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As worries about the missing animals' welfare mounted, Colten Jones’ brother, Trevor Jones, returned 64 of them to the HSSA on September 2. However, the remaining 259 were never recovered.
The SDHS said in a statement: “We now believe that it is likely that these animals were not adopted into homes but instead utilized as reptile feeder animals. We appreciate the passion that so many in our community bring to helping animals, to finding out what happened to the small pets who are still missing, and to holding those responsible for their outcome accountable”
The Southern Arizona and San Diego humane societies said: “The board, staff and volunteers of HSSA and SDHS share our community’s outrage and this latest piece of information that clearly indicates Mr. Jones’ intention to use these animals as feed instead of finding them adoptive homes. We are heartbroken for every one of these animals and every individual who shares our concern for them.
Gary Weitzman, president and chief executive of the SDHS, told the New York Times it was “the most horrible text” he’s ever seen in his life and that “it’s just the most unthinkable outcome.” He added if he had known the animals could have been turned into reptile food, he would never have sent them to Arizona.
The rats, guinea pigs and rabbits may have been taken by a man who sells live animals as reptile food (NBC San Diego)“Nothing like this in my 30 years of animal welfare has happened before. It’s just horrifying.” He said the SDHS He said the San Diego Humane Society was exploring a lawsuit and had hired a private investigator.
Robert Garcia, the chairman of the board of the HSSA, said the group had hired their own private investigator and was considering legal action against Jones and a further unnamed former employees. Gracia said the HSSA fired its chief executives, in October and its chief operating officer, Christian Gonzalez, resigned after he had “overseen” the transfer of the animals.
Garcia added: “The board determined that there was terrible negligence on the part of former leadership to properly vet where these animals were going and to ensure that, wherever they were going, they would be adopted out as pets.” He said that the Humane Society of Southern Arizona was contending with “betrayal and also heartbreak.” Garcia added: “We have to assume the animals were used as feed. It is very important for the humane society to continue on with its mission. And we ask for patience as we work to rebuild that trust.”
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