Tropical Inc

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bigcat speciali

Well-Known Member
Exotic animals seized from Tropical Inc in RSPCA raidAlmost 70 exotic animals including meerkats and armadillos have been seized in Worcestershire as part of a major RSPCA investigation.

RSPCA inspectors joined police and specialists to search Tropical Inc, in Dunhampton, on Thursday.

Owls, parrots, coatis, genets, snakes, tamarins and porcupines were among the animals removed under the Animal Welfare Act.

Tropical Inc said it was currently unable to comment.

The business specialises in exotic animal presentations to schools, corporate groups and others, as well as providing training.

The RSPCA said the animals were being looked after by specialists while its investigation continued.

A TV wildlife expert who appeared alongside Alan Titchmarsh on his daytime chat show is being investigated over claims dozens of exotic animals in his care had been mistreated.

Police and RSPCA officers swooped on the newly built headquarters of Tropical Inc., in Dunhampton, near Worcester, in a dawn raid on Thursday and confiscated nearly 70 animals under the Animal Welfare Act.

The animals taken included meerkats, monkeys, an armadillo, coatis, genets, owls, parrots, snapping turtles, tortoises, snakes, a porcupine, Harris hawks, and cotton-top tamarins. [BBC news]




The firm, which teaches school children about tropical animals, is run by Stephen Rowlands.

The 31-year-old, from Oldbury, has made regular appearances on ITV1's Alan Titchmarsh Show where he has showed off his tortoises and reptiles.

His company's website says staff will educate people about how to care for their exotic pets.

The site states: "Our company aim is to educate all walks of life from nursery to university Students on the natural behaviour of all exotic animals, through fun and interactive presentations and displays.

"We also give advice to people on the welfare of their exotic pets and offer a good home to one's that need it.

"By encouraging people's natural curiosity, the secrets of environments such as the rainforest and desert we will take you on an almost magical journey."

But the new permanent base the company had set up in Dunhampton, was raided after concerns animals were being mistreated.

No arrests were made but all of the animals have been temporarily rehomed at specialist centres elsewhere in the UK while an investigation is carried out.

An RSPCA spokesman said: "Five RSPCA inspectors, two police, five other specialists and a specialist zoo vet attended an address in Worcester early Thursday morning and removed around 70 animals under suspicion of offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

"Among those taken were coatis, genets, an armadillo, owls, parrots, snapping turtles, tortoises, snakes, a porcupine, Harris hawks, meerkats and cotton-top tamarins.

"The police had applied for a warrant which was issued by the magistrate court. All of the animals have now been taken to specialist establishments pending the outcome of the investigation."

Glenn Arscott, education officer at Tropical Inc., said yesterday: "The premises in Dunhampton, which do belong to Tropical Inc., were raided on Thursday.

"Stephen was not arrested. We have been told not to say anything further."

As reported in your Worcester News at the time planning permission for the Dunhampton site was granted by Wychavon District Council in August despite concerns.

Some members of the planning committee expressed concern the site would exploit the animals for entertainment.

Speaking at the time, councillor Judy Pearce, said: "We are being told this will be an educational facility, but on the company's website it keeps on referring to corporate events and parties.

"That's not what I want to see animals doing.

"Alarm bells are ringing." [evesham journal]
 
I'm not sure what to make of this...
I've had previous dealings with Stephen within the industry and he has always seemed entirely professional and competent with an obvious passion for the animals in his care.
That said I have never visited his premises and therefore couldn't comment on housing conditions etc.
I just hope that this isn't a case of the RSPCA wading in heavy handidly on someone keeping exotics outside of a zoo situation. I also hope the 'rescued' animals will indeed receive 'better' care than where they've been taken from.
Whichever way this pans out it is certainly not a great start to 2013.
 
'Some members of the planning committee expressed concern the site would exploit the animals for entertainment. Speaking at the time, councillor Judy Pearce, said: "We are being told this will be an educational facility, but on the company's website it keeps on referring to corporate events and parties.'

Sounds alot like a disgruntled councillor who didn't want an animal attraction of any sort to open. Corporate events and parties don't have to exclude being educational. Besides all animal-contact ventures have a mix of education and entertainment.

Will also add that I met staff from this company a year ago at a trade show and they appeared to be experienced and knowledgeable. But I too have never seen their facilities in the previous or current location.
 
A statement on the Tropical Inc Facebook page has shed some light on the situation...
It appears that the animals 'rescued' by the RSPCA were being housed in temporary enclosures while building work is carried out on their new site. They are expecting them to be returned once this work is completed.
I do hope a positive resolution can be found sooner rather than later.
 
I too have met Stephen and I agree that it's possibly a disgruntled councillor who perhaps never wanted it built in the first place. I'm sure he would not have purposefully put animals welfare at risk, and it seems it was just a problem with temp housing whilst permanent housing was built.

I do feel this will be the next thing animal rights campaigners start pointing at but hopefully if they do, they will see no animal welfare being compromised.

I believe the RSPCA should stick with what they are good at and that's domestic animal welfare. I have spoken with a few inspectors before and one couldn't tell the difference bettween a tortoise and a terrapin!
 
The RSPCA has been getting a lot of bad press recently for spending a lot of its funds on what might be perceived as politically motivated prosecutions . They do seem to have an agenda against zoos and keepers of exotics .
 
Two sides to every story...

Let me tell you something. I am not a friend of Stephen - I have been to two of his events at my sons football club. Both times the kids loved what they saw. They learnt something. They enjoyed it. They smiled. And they talked about the event for weeks. I have read a lot of articles about this "raid" by the RSPCA, and the "Police" - I have also read how the "council" and the "planning committee" had alarm bells ringing about "Corporate events" and how the local councillor didn't want to see animals being "used" in this way.

I bet you something. I bet the local councillor who now claims to have "had alarm bells ringing" NEVER went to any of the shows, and knows as little about the "truth" as they know about "living in the real world". Yes, he has to make money. Yes, he is running a business, and whilst I have never been to see the places where he kept the animals, from the two events I attended, (two more than the councillor who doesn't want to see animals used like this) I bet there are 2 sides to this story.

He loved the animals. He interacted with the kids. He kept the guys entertained and seemed very good at his job. I suggest the local councillor wakes up, smells the coffee, and starts doing some "proper" research before making weak sound bites for the local press.

Yes, Judy Pearce, I am talking to you. Did you ever attend any of the events or shows? Have you ever seen first hand the way they cared for the animals? No. Cause you haven't.
 
The RSPCA took the case to court earlier this month: The outcome was..

Tropical Inc's owner being given a 12 month sentence suspended for two years as well being ordered to pay £100,000 costs to the RSPCA.

He was not banned from keeping animals. However 7 animals were removed permanently from his care at the time, and another 36 will also be rehomed

As Dcdan says, there are two sides to every story. However I'm sure most of us will agree from the pictures in the article below that the conditions (temporary or not) were far from ideal

Wildlife expert who appeared on Alan Titchmarsh's chatshow kept 70 exotic animals in 'unspeakable' conditions | Mail Online
 
Our local paper the Essex Chronicle Maldon and Burnham edition covered the verdict,as some of the animals had been re homed with out any sort of site inspection from Tropical Wings zoo in South Woodam ferris. Of course it wasn't their fault how it ended up, but it is sad no one botherd to check out the future homes.
It could well be a case of things getting out of hand and a lack of time, it doesn't take long for animals to mess up the housing, but the photo i saw the animals just seamed to be piled on top of one another. Of course we don't know how they were found, only how they were photographed, The protection society involved always states it warns people and offers advice and that prosecution is a last resort, but in high profile cases like this I doubt that, the more animal keepers they can prohibit the better it seams to me.
Very sad all round.
 
After reading my comments earlier in the year, I have to say after this all came out In the press a few weeks ago and seeing the photos, I am shocked beyond belief!

Unfortunately It just proves that behind closed doors you can never tell how an animal is being kept, even if the person talks the talk you can never know how the animals are being kept until you visit.

A sad story indeed!
 
A very sad outcome, I must admit that I initially thought it may be another heavy handed over reaction from the RSPCA. However, after seeing the footage it is impossible to defend the conditions animals were being held in no matter how 'temporarily'.

Sad to see that Tropical Wings Zoo has sent surplus stock to him without carrying out due diligence. Although I guess that's a pitfall of a small zoo operating outside of BIAZA and not being able to circulate a surplus list effectively.
 
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