Snakes Stolen, Killed

[The Nothing]

Reptiles stolen, killed
By Jason Gibbs Sun-News reporter

LAS CRUCES — Gloria was stabbed in the neck during a home invasion late Sunday.

Now, those closest to her hope she will survive and return to her job educating area children about reptiles. Her survival is more than her caretaker expected after he found her — and several of her housemates — bleeding, wounded or dead Monday morning. Many of her companions weren't so lucky. At last count, there are at least five dead and a dozen missing — many of them just babies.

When Doña Ana County Sheriff's officers found Gloria, a 10-foot-long albino Burmese python who has served as the poster-python for Las Cruces Reptile Rescue for the past three years, they thought she was a goner.

When she began to show signs of life, it provided a bright spot in what was otherwise a dismal day for the shelter program's director.

"She's my baby," said Mike Daniels, director of the reptile rescue program. "She's like one of my kids. It was just a huge sigh of relief when she was alive. When I went in, she was covered in blood."

Daniels' home, where several rescued reptiles were housed, was burglarized and vandalized sometime between 8 p.m. Sunday and around 9 a.m. Monday, when he arrived home after working his shift as a Las Cruces firefighter, he said.

the rest of the article (which i HIGHLY suggest reading): http://www.lcsun-news.com/news/ci_4322169

 

[Roy Munson]

That's unbelievable. Those were some sick *&^%$#@. I really, really hope they catch the people who did this.

 

[tricksterpup]

This is a shame, you can see how heart broken he is.
I had to pass this along to a few other Forums I know. Maybe if the Word gets out,some one may know something.

 

[Sparda]

Some people are such a$$ cracks. What a heartbreaking story. I hope the people who did this are caught and PUNISHED!:twoguns:

 

[ssssnake_lover]

Sick sick b#*=/'&$ i hope they catch them

Hope that Burmese Python makes a full recovery

 

[Jay@PJCReptiles]

This has got to be one of the most asinine, ridiculous and despicable acts of cruelty and hatred toward herps we have ever came across. Truly spawned by ignorance and selfishness. We can not fathom or remotely try to understand why someone would do this for no apparent reason then other being a self centered, arrogant, malicious punk. We hope all those little bastards who committed this heinous tragedy get what they got coming to them. "Die, F****ers, Die !!!!" :twoguns:
Jay & PJ :realhot:

 

[MomFor2Gifts]

I wonder about donations

That is just... just.. Hell I can't even come up with a word to describe how horrid this is. I know this is probably a bad thing to say but I would rather pin my hopes on those babies escaping than the though of whomever broke in, took them and are torturing them.

It would be bad enough if it were one of us that had a few or many snakes but for this to be done to someone who does rescue work and has chosen to dedicate himself to this cause and care of these helpless creatures, is just sickening.

I don't know if it is the same where he lives as it is here but here you do not get paid for rescue work it is all out of pocket and it is not tax deductable, though you have to get state licensed ( how ironic huh? ) You pay to get the license they come inspect to make sure you have everything they require and then you pay for everything out of your pocket to do a community service and you have to pay for it all.

I wonder if he needs any help, getting new supplies or donations etc? It would be nice if we could find out somehow. If anything has to come out of this, it would be nice to be something good, where he gets back up and going as soon as possible to give all these helpless animals the right type of treatment, not the treatment they got from those #@$%$^#%&%^ people that broke in.

 

[Paradox]

That really is heartbreaking...my best wishes go out to him and his animals! I just hope those responsible get what they deserve.

 

[desertanimal]

That's awful. I haven't seen anything that atrocious since a year or two ago when some kids broke into an aquarium, hauled some large sharks out of a shark pool and beat them to death. Can't remember where it was. I hope the people who did it get caught and are punished severely. With that level of violence towards animals, It's only a matter of time before it become violence against people, most likely women or children.

 

[kimbyra]

You're right their desertanimal!
There is a special room in hell wiating for those people, filled with pissed off snakes...
Anyway, just goes to prove that there are people who are EVIL.

I think the article had a donation link. I hope those who can afford it, especially in the reptile community, will show their support and do what they can.
God bless those rescue people and their critters!

 

[Chris Olson]

This is atrocious.

Chris

 

[Tyger9791]

they have a website and they desperately need donations. you can make a donation through paypal on that site. Click where it says "Click here to read more" about the tragedy. people are just sick really.
http://www.awesomereptiles.com/lcrr/home.html

 

[cassandra]

That just makes me ill...I sent a donation and I encourage everyone who can to send a bit as well...

 

[Candachan]

I'm always worried something like this might happen, poor snakes!

 

[dawnrenee2000]

Donations of time, supplies or financial support to help Las Cruces Reptile Rescue can be made by calling the program director, Mike Daniels, at 312-3208 or former director Roy Thibodeau at 496-8111

I just went online to their website and made a donation. I encourage any one who has some funds to spare to do the same. We do rescue efforts locally but on a much smaller scale, but all the same, i cant imagine what it must be like to have that happen . Lets let them know their herp community appreciates and supports their conservation efforts.

 

[ssssnake_lover]

I have not got any money really at the moment as i am skint so i am going to sell some stuff on ebay and send all the money i make to them

Btw not sure if you noticed but make sure you all go here and sign this petition http://new.petitiononline.com/roundups/petition.html

I really wish there were some anacondas in that house that could have killed them B2'*&~#" and then ate them

 

[Hurley]

Very sad story. Reminds me of the attack on a no-kill cat shelter in southern Iowa that happened when I was a senior. They brought us 7 of the cats that were still alive after 3 boys broke in and beat all of the cats with baseball bats. Of the 7 cats still alive when discovered, 3 made it to us alive, 1 with a leg so badly shattered it had to be amputated, one that lost an eye, and another that had to have his jaw wired shut and be fed through a tube for 2 months while it healed. Those were the "lucky" ones. What is really sick is the "boys will be boys" attitude of those 17-18 year olds' neighbors and family.

Anyone that could do that to those snakes or those sharks or those cats has something lacking from their brain. Lack of empathy, lack of conscience, pathological, and no excuse. I hope they find the idiot and hang him/her by their toenails.

 

[MooreSnakes]

You're right their desertanimal!
There is a special room in hell wiating for those people, filled with pissed off snakes...

because remember, snakes work for Satan :devil01:
No action goes without consequence . . .

 

[Mrs InsaneOne]

It disgusts me when I read stories like this - one reason I don't watch the news any more - and I can't even imagine how devistated those people involved with that rescue center feel. I don't understand how the people who did such a thing can live with themselves after commiting such a crime.

Just horrible. I'm going to talk to Tim about donating... and then I'm going to spend a paranoid week worrying about my critters. The children that live in the park are entirely capable of comitting such an atrocity and I wouldn't put it past them. Gawd I need to get out of Cali and out of this creeple infested trailor park.

Makes we want to throw up...

 

[dawnrenee2000]

Update On Situation

www.awesomereptiles.com/lcrr/tragedy.html

UPDATE FROM THEIR SITE:

For those of you who have supported the LCRR, and have given us permission to place your name on our "Thank You" page, as well as for everyone else who has been so very generous, please click HERE.



Update 10/4/2006
We took Gloria to her vet again (Dr. Sue Miale) on Tuesday the 3rd. Dr. Sue determined that her lower jaw isn't actually broken. However, Gloria has since developed a severe infection. Her underside is bright pink the entire length of her belly. We have switched her to a different antibiotic, and will wait to see how it goes. The really great news is that Gloria ate today 2 large chicks! Now we'll watch to see how she digests. Keep your fingers crossed everyone! The two teens that were arrested were arraigned in court yesterday. We'll keep you all posted as to how the charges, etc., progress.

If anyone would like to see pics of Gloria's last vet visit, as well as Dr. Sue Miele, and her assistant, Margarite, click HERE.


Arrests Made In Break-In/Killing!!!

Today, September 29th, 2006, the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Department informed us that 2 seventeen (17) year old teenagers have been arrested for the crime committed against the Reptile Rescue Septmember10th/11th. We're told the two teenagers are charged with
15 felony counts of larceny. We do not yet know whether or not any further charges will be filed.

This is great news to us here at the rescue, now that we know these 2 alleged cretans are no longer free to go around killing and torturing animals. We're just going to watch and see how the judicial system handles these guys.

Here is some interesting news for all of you: in the state of New Mexico reptiles are specifically excluded from the list of animals that warrant charges of animal cruelty in such cases as these. In other words, Reptiles Must Not Have Feelings Or Experience Pain! Isn't that a load of hog-wash!!!??? We at the LCRR are interested in pursuing getting the laws changed here in New Mexico. As most of you know, reptiles feel
pain and suffer just as much as any other animal, and not being able to charge someone with animal cruelty if they torture or kill a reptile is absolute nonsense.

We have had a generous offer from an attorney to assist us should we wish to push the matter in getting the laws in New Mexico changed for the better for reptiles concerning animal cruelty. My thinking is that maybe we should put another petition online to gain signatures
for just that! We'd be very interested to know how all of you out there feel about this. If you care to share your views with us on whether or not we should get a petition going, please feel free to click on the email button on the bottom of this (and every) page,
and give us your input!


Update on our tragedy:

As of today, September 18, 2006, the police have not informed us of any leads concerning the perpetrators of this horrendous crime. However, the good news is that Gloria, our albino Burmese Python, is gaining her strength back. After having been stabbed 12 times, and beaten from head to tail, she seems to be recovering. It will be another week or so before we'll know for certain if she will survive her attack.

As for people concerned about our tragic event, we here at the Rescue are
overwhelmed at the response we've gotten from so many people. We've been
getting letters, donations, e-mails, supplies, etc., not only from our own
community, but from people all over the country, Canada, Australia, the UK,
and the list goes on. It is so heart-warming to see so many people care!
We can't possibly thank every single donor and supporter personally, but
we would like to take this time to sincerely thank all of you who have supported us in our crisis. It is truly wonderful to know there are so many people out there who care so much about reptiles and other animals. It makes us here at the LCRR very PROUD to be associated with so many generous and caring people. And, we know that if our reptiles could talk, they would give a resounding "Thank You!" to each and every one of you who have been there for us during our moment of need. Again, thank you all so very much for your kindness and support!

We would like to put up a page to give recognition to all of you who have supported us in this time of tragedy. So, if you would kindly e-mail us and give us permission to place your name on the page, we would be most grateful. Those who do not give us specific permission to list their names will not be included on the public list. For those of you who wish to remain anonymous, please know that we are forever grateful for your kindness!