ROYAL OAK, Mich., February 5, 2010 – The lives of nearly 27,000 animals seized in a raid on a Texas exotic animal dealer December 15 are no longer in limbo following a judge’s ruling that the animals will not be returned to U.S. Global Exotics.  Hundreds of the surviving rescued animals are now at their new home at the Detroit Zoo.

The Zoo is providing sanctuary for numerous exotic mammals – including five wallabies, four sloths, three agoutis, two ring-tailed lemurs and two coatis – as well as hundreds of reptiles, spiders and amphibians.  In addition, the Zoo is helping to place hundreds more animals in other accredited zoos and sanctuaries throughout the country.

The Detroit Zoo played an important role in the largest exotic animal rescue effort in the history of the United States, providing expert assistance in the care of the confiscated animals.  Several Zoo animal curators and supervisors spent the seven weeks since the raid helping to care for the animals, many seriously ill, at a temporary rescue facility in Dallas.

“Our mission is celebrating and saving wildlife.  There are times we do a lot of celebrating, but this time we are saving thousands of animals,” said Detroit Zoological Society Executive Director Ron Kagan.
 
The amphibians will be cared for at the Detroit Zoo’s National Amphibian Conservation Center, a leader in amphibian exhibition, conservation and research.  The wallabies will join the Zoo’s wallabies and red kangaroos at the Australian Outback Adventure, and appropriate habitats are being prepared for the other animals.  All of the rescued animals will be in quarantine for several weeks to ensure they are healthy and acclimating well before being released into their respective habitats.

Officials with the City of Arlington carried out the raid on U.S. Global Exotics after obtaining evidence gathered during a seven-month undercover investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).  The Detroit Zoo was contacted for assistance with the care and potential placement of the animals, seized with the help of animal protection groups including PETA, Humane Society of North Texas and the Texas Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). 

An Arlington municipal judge ruled that the animals were cruelly treated – confined in cramped and filthy cages and denied necessary food, water and veterinary care – and should not be returned to U.S. Global Exotics.  The company’s owners appealed the decision but were denied by a higher court last weekend.

The Texas SPCA is working to place the remaining animals with other accredited zoos and sanctuaries to ensure that they are not put back into the pet trade or released into the wild.