More than 800 animals seized from Santa Fe feed store – Houston Public Media

Over 800 animals were seized from a Santa Fe pet store Thursday following years of animal cruelty investigations.

Investigators executed a search warrant at The List Pet Store on the 14000 block of Highway 6 on Thursday when hundreds of animals were seized from the Santa Fe property.

Animals including puppies, kittens, rabbits, hedgehogs, ducks, chickens, birds, quail, peacocks, tortoises, fish, reptiles and arachnids were removed from the pet store.

The business has been the subject of animal cruelty investigations over several years. In 2016, more than 200 animals, including pigs, goats, sheep, peacocks and snakes, were seized from the property.

Most of the livestock and animals that were seized during that raid were ordered to remain in the custody of the Houston Humane Society. The store came under new ownership after court proceedings in 2016.

The hundreds of animals that were again seized from tight cages and left without immediate access to water were loaded in vans and transported to the Houston SPCA Campus for All Animals, a 12-acre facility in Houston.

“Despite multiple opportunities to improve the welfare of their animals, the persistent neglect at this business left us no choice but to work with law enforcement to intervene and rescue those animals,” Josh Sailor, Chief of Cruelty Investigations at Houston SPCA said.

No charges have yet been filed following the raid. A hearing has been set for court this week when a judge will decide custody of the animals.

“We are still waiting on the results to come back on the examination and that takes a while,” Galveston County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Ray Nolen said Monday.

Houston SPCA receives more than 8,000 reports of animal cruelty every year.