Kiwi in Texas cruelty case claims PETA set-up

A screenshot from the now-defunct US Global Exotics website.

AP

Lizards are removed from US Global Exotics' premises.

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The lawyer for a New Zealand man facing animal cruelty charges in America says an undercover investigator for an animal welfare group set him up by deliberately neglecting animals.

Lawyer Lance Evans said one of the people working for New Zealand couple Jasen and Vanessa Shaw could have done more for the animals the Shaws were accused of neglecting in one of America's largest animal cruelty cases.

The Shaws own the Texas-based business US Global Exotics which was raided shortly before Christmas when more than 26,000 animals were seized.

Many were dead or dying, apparently because of the conditions in which they were kept.

However, Mr Evans said one of their employees, Howard Goldman, who was also part of the animal welfare group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), deliberately neglected animals to further his agenda as an undercover investigator for the animal welfare group.

In The Fort Worth Star Telegram newspaper Mr Evans said Mr Goldman could have done more to provide food, water and care for the animals that he said were being mistreated.

Instead, he secretly took photos, reported daily to Peta and never called authorities in the seven months he worked at Global Exotics.

He was more concerned about helping Peta achieve its goal of putting US Global out of business than aiding animals he felt were in distress, said Mr Evans.

The company is fighting to regain custody of the animals seized in the raid on December 15. The Arlington Municipal Court was expected to rule on the future of the animals this week.

The newspaper said Mr Goldman testified last week he was asked by Peta to apply for a job at US Global Exotics to investigate conditions and Peta paid him $135 for each day he turned in a report while working as snake caretaker.

He said the owners would not pay for food and hundreds of snakes died.

Paul Boiko, who also worked for the company, said in the court hearing most animals were fed and watered regularly and a veterinarian visited weekly.

- NZPA