New Video Shows Mass Animal Suffering and Death at PetSmart Supplier

Emaciation, Missing Limbs, and Filth Exposed at International Reptile Dealer, Prompting PETA to Call for End to Chain’s Animal Sales

For Immediate Release:
February 29, 2016

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

A PETA video investigation shows that hundreds of reptiles and other animals were cruelly killed, found dead, or left to suffer without basic veterinary care during the 15 weeks that two eyewitnesses worked at Reptiles by Mack in Xenia, Ohio, a large-scale operation that breeds and supplies reptiles to PetSmart and other animal dealers and pet stores worldwide.

According to a Reptiles by Mack employee, the facility’s practice was to set sick animals “aside to die and waste away.” Lizards with severely injured, bleeding limbs were not provided with veterinary care as their limbs rotted off, and extremely sick and injured animals were gassed to death in plastic bags. Reptiles were kept in filthy, barren, crowded bins, and hundreds of animals were packed for a PetSmart order without food or water and left in containers more than 24 hours before they were shipped. PETA’s footage shows bearded dragons, the most popular “pet” reptile, scrambling desperately for drops of water.

“PetSmart has repeatedly been tied to massive warehouses where animals are left to die in filthy, crowded bins without a drop of water or an ounce of compassion,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA’s message to shoppers is never buy animals or even supplies at PetSmart—or any other store that sells live animals.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—has asked local authorities to investigate and file cruelty charges as appropriate. This is the group’s sixth exposé—and the second in 2016 alone—revealing the abusive and filthy conditions endured by animals who are bred for sale at big-box pet store chains.

Broadcast-quality video footage and photographs from PETA’s investigation are available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.