Sheriff’s Office: Hundreds of animals in ‘conditions of neglect’ at pet store

Hundreds of animals — fish, reptiles, birds, gerbils, hamsters and guinea pigs in numbers that law enforcement officers have not finalized — are being removed from “unsanitary” and “inadequate” conditions at Roy’s Aquarium on Ribaut Road in Beaufort, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office news release.

The Sheriff’s Office, Beaufort County Animal Services and members of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Field Investigations and Response team began searching the shop Tuesday morning and continued working throughout the day Wednesday to remove the animals.

The search “revealed unsanitary conditions and inadequate space for hundreds of animals located on site,” according to the release. The animals needed to be removed “from the apparent conditions of neglect” for “immediate care and treatment.”

On Wednesday, the groups were “still on site documenting conditions, collecting evidence and removing the animals,” according to the release.

The animals were being moved to an undisclosed temporary facility. Two local veterinarians were helping to assess and care for the animals, the news release said. The Sheriff’s Office would not release the identities of the veterinarians or the location where the animals were being moved on Wednesday.

The total number of animals being removed from the shop has not yet been determined, Sheriff’s Office Capt. Bob Bromage said Wednesday afternoon. Photographs of the inside of Roy’s Aquarium and of the animals were not released, and a reporter was not allowed inside.

Getting the animals moved to a safe environment and providing the care that they need could take some time and is a high priority, Bromage said.

He said animals were still being rescued and evidence was still being collected on Wednesday afternoon. The investigation is expected to continue over the next few days, according to the release.

No criminal charges had been filed on Wednesday evening.

State statutes outline misdemeanor charges that can be brought against an animal caretaker who knowingly mistreats an animal and felony charges that can be brought against someone who tortures an animal. The penalty for the misdemeanor offense is up to 90 days in jail or a fine of between $100 and $1,000. For a second or subsequent misdemeanor conviction, the penalty is listed as up to two years in jail or a fine of up to $2,000. If convicted on the felony offense, one would face a penalty of between 180 days and five years in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Beaufort County ordinances also prohibit the mistreatment of animals and spell out Animals Services’ role in seizing mistreated animals. The penalty for the misdemeanor offense would be a $500 maximum fine or up to 30 days in jail.

The Petco Foundation, in a partnership with Beaufort County Animal Services, was donating products needed to care for the animals, Lisa Lane, the foundation’s manager of press relations and communications confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

The building was put up for sale in 2014, owner Roy Rivers told The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette at that time. Roy’s Aquarium has been in business for over 40 years and sells pets as well as pet care items.

This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 8:41 AM with the headline "Sheriff’s Office: Hundreds of animals in ‘conditions of neglect’ at pet store."