The owner of Riverfront Aquariums has been charged for the third time in less than 11 months in connection to alleged neglect of rabbits, lizards and a frog.
On June 18, investigators with the Calgary Humane Society visited the store in the 300 block of Meridian Road Northeast and discovered a basilisk, a tree frog and two day geckos in medical distress. The store’s owner, Wayne Woo, was charged under the Animal Protection Act of Alberta and the animals were removed from the premises.
Woo had been previously charged in connection to animal cruelty following visits to the store in May of 2015 and September 2014. During those visits, members of the Calgary Humane Society Animal Cruelty Investigations team seized the following animals which were deemed to be in medical distress:
- An iguana
- A chameleon
- Nine rabbits
- A bearded dragon
“It is very concerning to see a business dedicated to the sale of animals charged once, but to see subsequent charges laid demonstrates either an inability or unwillingness to properly care for their animals,” said Brad Nichols, senior manager of Calgary Humane Society Animal Cruelty Investigations. A business claiming to be an expert in the care of exotic animals, to me, has a higher expectation of care than a lay person.”
Woo is scheduled to appear in provincial court on August 8, August 24, and September 8 to face animal neglect charges.
