On the 30th of March I went to Snakes n More to pick up rats, I usually just go in and get what I want and get out without looking inside the cages. However on this particular day it was very busy and I had to wait for service which prompted me to look at the cages directly next to me. Stuck in tiny cages were a red iguana and above it was a green iguana without proper heat, no humidity and no UVB light. There was another cage above them so I stood on my toes and looked in. There laid a bearded dragon in sand, head almost buried in it and covered with crickets. When I looked closer I saw that this bearded dragon was just skin and bone and had no UVB light and a very week household globe. I asked the employees; "What is going on here?" Nobody answered. So I got loud and angry, something they could not afford with a shop full of customers. The guy then said: "Oh, we are waiting for him to die", said with absolutely no emotion as if he spoke about an object. "WHAT?!? Customers heard that loud and clear although it was not my intention, I was so shocked, still am. "What do you mean you are waiting for him to die?" Him: "We had him at Dr. Shabeer the best vet in SA and HE said that the beardie is too far gone so we must just leave him to die". Then I blew up! "Dont bloody lie to me man, Shabeer will NEVER say that! He would have euthanized him!" The guy just started stepping around, everybody looking and I am blowing fire. Then he said to me: "We give him calcium." Me: "What the hell is he suppose to do with calcium without a UVB light idiot???" I told him that I am taking the bearded dragon home, you cant just leave an animal to die! All of a sudden all the employees cared, "He is not for sale". "I dont want to buy him I want save his life!" I said. "No but you MUST pay for him because we fed him". OH MY SOUL! "You are SUPPOSE to feed him IDIOT!" I had to pay a R150.00 which I did. The new trend is that the lizards do not get UVB nor proper heating to safe on costs, if they are not bought while babies then they just leave them to waste away. I took the bearded dragon to Dr. Shabeer and told him that the employees said that he said that they must leave him to die. Dr. Shabeer was of course upset about this and went to the shop and took the 2 iguanas and told them to fix the gecko cages - what a hero! Unfortunately it was too late for this bearded dragon, due to incorrect heat his body stated wasting away, he couldn't digest any food. There was nothing else wrong with him, no parasites or any disease the cause of his ultimate organ failure was because Snakes n More chose to safe money. Here you can see in what shape this bearded dragon was and everything he went through before he finally died on the 28th of April due to cruelty!
I forgot to mention something very important: I brought the bearded dragon home to die with dignity. I am shaming the pet shop in our local news papers and all SA forums, I also reported them to our SPCA who are working together with my vet to prosecute them. I do not fall for pet shop neglect to sell animals nor do I stand back and let it happen again. It is my mission to close them down, I will NEVER turn a blind eye and will fight till the end to rescue the rest of the reptiles in the store. I do not support paying for the bearded dragon but it was either that or they were going to phone the police and have me locked up because I was not leaving without him. By turning a blind eye you support this behavior, you condemn another reptile to the same death, rather fight the battle legally and close them down. At least I am man enough to do it.
Wow that's so sad that to save a buck they're not giving their best to their animals I'm happy you notified your local SPCA though Hopefully they will be able to change things and fine them and keep a closer eye on them and take away their animals if they're continually being mistreated.
