Posted by Wes von Papineäu on October 06, 2000 at 07:09:08:
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST (Leeds, UK) 26 September 00 Crocodile seized in petshop raid (Alison Bellamy)
A rare and endangered crocodile was seized in a raid on a Leeds pet shop.
Now an inquiry is underway into how the broad snouted Caiman croc - one of only a handful in the world - came to be in the Living World pet shop.
Officers from Leeds City Council, the Reptile Trust, the RSPCA, and police moved into the Armley Road store unannounced after a failure by owners to secure a Dangerous Wild Animal Licence for Armani.
The latirostris broad-snouted caiman is the only one in Britain, according to reptile experts.
The creature, originally from Papua New Guinea, would have been captured in the wild but has been kept in unsuitable conditions for several years, says the Reptile Trust.
Pet shop owner Peter Hemingway recently pleaded in the YEP for a new home for his pet after council bosses refused an application for a wild animal licence in the name of shop manager Luesa Anderson.
The shop, which is banned from selling animals after losing its pet shop licence, is open only for pet food and accessories.
Today Mr Hemingway, who was convicted in court on nine charges of animal cruelty brought by the RSPCA in 1999, said: "I am totally surprised to hear Armani is so rare. It is the first I've heard.
"They came mob-handed totally unnecessarily to seize him. I bought Armani from a zoo and it was never mentioned he was broad-snouted.
"I was told he was a standard speckled caiman. I would like to see proof he is endangered and want to know what happens to him."
He has vowed never to shut his shop and is continuing to campaign for a licence.
Mr Hemingway was disqualified after being convicted on 24 counts of failing to comply with licence conditions.
His wife Elsa Hemingway was also banned and last month shop manager Luesa Anderson was refused permission for a licence.
Peter Heathcote, of the Reptile Trust, said: "The caiman will be taken to the Algarve in Portugal where it can be properly looked after. There are only a handful left in the world and no others in Britain."
A spokeswoman for Leeds City Council said: "The caiman was seized on Friday morning by the Reptile Trust, acting on our behalf, in a calm, five-minute operation."