French police have busted a couple with over 200 animals in their “Noah’s Ark” home, many of them exotic species such as tarantulas, snakes, camels, iguanas, tortoises, and 26 dogs, with most of them mistreated.
The incident took place in the village of Saint-Ouen-en-Brie in the Seine-et-Marne department, some 75 kilometres (46.6 miles) from the French capital Paris.
The gendarmes along with animal protection officers visited the property and as well as the animals mentioned above also found pigs, horses, and birds of prey.
French newspaper Le Parisien dubbed the home a “Noah’s Ark”, and quoted a source close to the investigation who has remained anonymous as saying: “There were animals everywhere.”
They even reportedly found animal carcasses in freezers, one of which was not working, causing everyone to leave the room when they opened it due to the stench.
After being seen by a veterinarian, 129 of the animals were seized on grounds of mistreatment and were handed over to the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation.
The couple have not been named but are reportedly a man aged 63 and a woman aged 59. They were arrested by the gendarmes and questioned. Their computers were seized. Investigators are hoping that the computers will reveal information that will help them bring potential charges.
The man was the subject of a similar procedure in 2016. The couple have since been released pending the outcome of the investigation.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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