CALGARY- Rachel El-Roumaihi can’t believe she has to pay hundreds of dollars to get two veiled chameleons back that she says belong to her.
She bought the chameleons at Riverfront Aquariums on Nov. 20 and said they were still in the store two weeks later when the Calgary Humane Society seized over 300 animals in distress.
“We decided to keep them there because the two we have at home were just a bit too small to integrate and we didn’t want anyone fighting,” said El-Roumaihi.
She said she didn’t know her chameleons had been seized until she went to the store to bring them home the day after.
She said even though they were in a tank that had her name on it and was marked ‘sold’, the Calgary Humane Society won’t return them until she pays vet and boarding fees.
“Unless I pay $400 dollars by close of business this Friday, those animals will be the property of the humane society and I will never be able to get them back.”
In a statement, Calgary Humane Society Peace Officer Brad Nichols said:
“The animals were in care and control of the business at the time of the seizure, making ownership irrelevant to enforcement action taken… anyone submitting an ownership stake in a seized animal will be required to provide proof of ownership and pay costs of care in order to redeem animals… all animals seized from the business were deemed by an exotics veterinarian to be in distress.”
El-Roumaihi said she was at the store every few days after she bought the animals and they were fine.
Complicating the story, Riverfront Aquariums was sold Dec. 1 and the Calgary Humane Society said the new owner didn’t mention any previous side deals.
El-Roumaihi said she knows of at least two other reptile owners in her situation.
As for the other reptiles seized from the store, the Calgary Humane Society said it will be weeks before it’s decided what charges will be laid under the Animal Protection Act.
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