PLYMOUTH BOROUGH, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Deplorable, horrendous, and disturbing are just some of the words used by SPCA Investigators to describe a Luzerne County pet shop that was condemned over the weekend.
Hundreds of animals including reptiles, cats, and pet rats were removed from the pet shop.
On Main Street in Plymouth, the windows are covered and there is a condemned notice on the door of this building as SPCA Investigators say this is the first time in its history they have had to shut down a pet store.
“The conditions were just absolutely deplorable. The odor in there, the fecal matter, flies everywhere, deceased animals, I mean you name it. It was just horrifying,” Stressed Vicky Vangorder, a Humane Society Police Officer.
That’s how Luzerne County SPCA Investigators describe what they saw and smelled inside the “Great 8 Reptiles Pet Store” in Plymouth last weekend.
“The conditions of that store were in such deplorable conditions that our officers felt the animals were in immediate concern for their health and welfare. Thus everything was pulled and is now in protective custody,” said Todd Hevner, Executive Director of The Luzerne County SPCA.
The SPCA received a tip late Friday including cell phone pictures from Cameron English. As English owns an exotic pet store in Wilkes-Barre and was actually at “Great 8 Reptiles” because the owners of the store were customers of his.
“Well, we saw the filth, the numbers of rats, and the fact they had no food or water they were emaciated because of lack of food and especially dehydration which will kill them fast,” said Cameron English, the owner of an exotic pets store.
More than 100 reptiles including a snake and a bearded dragon were removed from Great 8 Reptiles and English is taking care of the reptiles.
The SPCA is caring for 213 rats, two dozen mice, and eight cats that were also removed from Great 8 Reptiles.
“I classify it as sad. I don’t get upset very easily. When I told everybody else that made me very upset. I didn’t sleep that night so I needed to do something immediately,” English added.
Syelechia Solis owns great 8 reptiles. He was not present when SPCA officials served a search warrant at his store. He’s been locked up in the Luzerne County Prison, facing drug charges from a recent arrest. Eyewitness News was told his wife was at the store as investigators moved in.
SPCA Officials say this is a classic example of people getting involved.
“If you see something say something. I say that often. This is one of those cases that we would not have had the ability to make entry had there not been someone who had already been in the building taking photos and allowed our officers to see these photos to apply for a search warrant,” Hevner continued.
And Eyewitness News wants to point out that charges have not been filed in the investigation into the conditions at Great 8 Exotics.
The owners of CDE Exotics have stepped up to help the surviving animals.
The SPCA says its investigation is ongoing and Syelechia Solis remains in prison on drug charges.
