The Humane Society of the United States wrote Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, urging strong prosecution of a shocking case in which a pet shop owner is charged with abandoning 160 reptiles, amphibians and other invertebrates inside his sweltering Surprise store in August. At least 33 animals died.
The shop's owner, Christopher Novak, is charged with 60 felony counts of animal cruelty and 66 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputies allege Novak abandoned the animals for more than three weeks and failed to provide food, water and medical treatment. Temperatures inside the store reportedly surpassed 110 degrees.
"Given the high levels of care necessary to keep reptiles alive and healthy, it is particularly egregious that a pet shop owner would abandon their care so mercilessly," wrote Dale Bartlett, The HSUS' deputy director for animal cruelty issues. "An animal who suffers a death by neglect or starvation suffers every bit as intensely as one who is killed by more directly-inflicted abuse
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