Lizards, tarantulas, a prairie dog and a desert tortoise are among about 40 animals removed from a mid-Michigan home during a neglect investigation.
Ingham County Animal Control officers also found rats, mice, an iguana and about two dozen dogs and cats Wednesday at the house in Lansing, the Lansing State Journal reported.
The lizards included geckos and a tegu, which is native to South America, said Animal Control Director Heidi Williams, who described the 22-year-old tortoise as “a pretty good-sized boy.”
“We’ve certainly had large-scale animal seizures, but the variety of the animals was a little bit of a curveball for us,” Williams said.
Staff from Lansing’s Potter Park Zoo who have expertise in the care of exotic animals accompanied officers to the house.
Authorities had received anonymous complaints about the welfare of the animals at the home. Williams told WLNS-TV the animals were seized because they were in unsanitary conditions and were not receiving proper care.
