The owner of the former Reptile World on 3 Ave is now facing charges.
The Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) officials shut down the popular attraction in the winter, seizing all the animals inside after poor conditions were found.
Roland Lines, the communications director for the ASPCA, confirmed that the officer looking after the case submitted a report and nine charges were laid to Dave Bethel, in the first week of May.
“Three charges were related to four reptiles that we removed from Reptile World on January 24. All four of those reptiles were in extreme distress,” he said.
He continued by saying, one of the reptiles had to be euthanized by a veterinarian soon after because there was no way for it to recover.
These charges include: causing or allowing animals to be in distress; failing to provide adequate food and water for animals; and failing to provide adequate care for ill or injured animals.
The SPCA then returned on February 4 with a search warrant and removed almost 140 animals over a three-day period, Lines said.
Bethel faces five charges related to the reptiles and amphibians that were taken into custody that day, including the same three charges from above and failing to protect animals from damage to cold or heat, in this case cold, and failing to provide animals with adequate shelter, ventilation and housing, Lines said.
“The final charge relates to the mice we had to take off the property under that same search warrant. It is one charge for failing to provide adequate space and ventilation for the mice,” Lines added.
“If there is a conviction on any of the charges, there is a maximum fine penalty under the animal protection act of $20,000,” he said.
There is also a provision, Lines said, that a Judge can write a court order against a person to limit or completely prohibit them from owning animals for a certain period of time.
The court date is set for July 24 in Drumheller Provincial Court. This will be the first appearance for Bethel. He could not be reached for comment.
