41 dead animals found inside closed pet store.

[Catherine]

This is very sad. The animals were totally dependent on the pet store owner. When the police checked the place they found 41 dead animals and 56 live ones.
The owner will be charged. She claims she arranged for someone else to care for them. She should have at least been checking to be sure the animals were properly looked after.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local...story.html

Whether it is personal pets or pets in a store, if they are your responsibility, then they are your responsibility. Having someone else do the job is fine, but she should still have checked. She should probably have rehomed the animals when she realized the store was closing.
It is too bad that no one else noticed that the store was being neglected. Even a day earlier would have saved some lives.

[LPC]

That sounds terrible! Unfortunately, the link does not work in Europe, as the site seems to prevent Europeans from looking at it:
"Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in most European countries. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to the EU market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism."

[Catherine]

I notice there are blocks on some sites.

Quote:Associated Press


Authorities say 41 small animals were found dead inside a closed pet store in western Illinois where the electricity had been disconnected.
Macomb Police Chief Curt Barker said Tuesday that police received a complaint on Saturday about Macomb Pet Land, where officers faced an overwhelming smell of dead animals and ammonia. The dead animals included several rabbits, hamsters, snakes and mice. No dogs or cats died.
Barker says 56 animals were found alive and placed in foster care.
He says the power was shut off May 14 to the store about 60 miles west of Peoria for non-payment of bills.

The store's owner faces aggravated cruelty to animals charges. Barker says she told police she had arranged for someone else to care for the animals.

This is the core of the article.

The pet store obviously was in some financial difficulty if the power was shut off. I can feel for them having problems like that. However the animals were the owner's responsibility. She should have made sure they were cared for. If there was no power in the store then some of the animals would need to be removed immediately. Birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles all require special conditions. No matter what the circumstances, she did fail in her duty towards the animals. That will be what she is charged with. I can't believe a pet store owner would fail to be there every day checking on the animals.

[Tobi]

It's just awful. Those animals would have really suffered before they died. It is her responsibility. If -as she says -she left the animals in someone else's care, why didn't she call them sometimes to check how things were going? To see if the person was okay, and able to do that work? To visit would have been a good idea too, even if she really trusted the person. Anyone can have an accident.

[Catslave]

That's why they're bringing legislation in our state in Australia so pets can't be sold in pet shops only adopted.

[Catherine]

I think whenever a pet store is closed like that there needs to be some close monitoring of the animals. She should have inspected the store every day.

The animals probably died of dehydration and hunger. Many would have been too cold. Birds wouldn't have eaten if the had no lights. Once the power went out the animals needed to be removed from the store. That was her responsibility.

This is a more detailed article. 

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&ur...Gm0cDcq8Eg

I am angry that the reptiles were dead and the fish. They are vulnerable species that require special care. Why didn't she take some animals home with her. Why didn't she check on the animals herself! The guinea pig never stood a chance and neither did the rabbits.