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Tasks: buy smuggled animals and wild-caught reptiles
Of: Christoffer Nilsson, Lindah C Mohlin, Robert Aschberg
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NEWS
Zoo.se has collaborated for several years with a well-known pet dealer, despite being warned.
The commercial connection ended when a truck with 200 trafficked animals was stopped at the Öresund bridge and all the animals died.
Several animals went to Zoo.se.
– I deeply regret that we have done any business in which he has been more or less openly involved, says CEO Suzanne Hulthén.
A 200-second review of animal husbandry at the successful Zoo evoked strong reactions.
In recent years, the company, which last had sales of SEK 150 million, has had a close business partnership with an infamous pet dealer.
Two people who previously worked for man tell how paper was forged for animals that were transported from Africa and Europe to Sweden.
– Some animals were in good condition, others were completely emaciated. He bought rabbits and guinea pigs that had some kind of parasite that made them die like flies.
Would they go to Zoo.se?
– Yes.
Animals were often purchased from large wholesalers in the Netherlands. One of the sources was involved and transported animals to the Zoo.se store in Bromma in 2018.
– They can go down three or four days and walk and buy animals, then buy veterinary certificates that you falsify. So it’s only free to go to Sweden with the animals. Many of the reptiles that were sold to them were caught from the wild.
“Many were dead when they arrived”
In November 2018, Zoo.se was warned that smuggled animals were bought from the man, shows emails that have been read for 200 seconds. Despite this, the collaboration must have continued.
A former employee of the Zoo veterinary clinic testifies that many animals died on the way to the store in Bromma.
– Many animals were dead when they arrived. They had traveled long distances from Holland. Some of the animals were sick. Many had ringworm.
Zoo: We do not buy game hunters.
Suzanne Hulthén, CEO of Zoo.se, confirmed the deals in a phone interview Thursday night.
Did you see any risks?
– As far as I know, you’ve been on the right track.
Two who worked for the man say he has bought smuggled animals and animals with falsified documentation.
– In such cases, I do not know if it is falsified documentation. All the papers have been good.
One of them says that many of the reptiles they sold you were caught wild. It’s true?
– No, we don’t buy captured games.
I couldn’t answer detailed questions about connections without consulting the log books.
In an email on Friday, the CEO writes that they stopped buying animals from the man’s company in 2018 due to lack of documentation and “rumors of dubious animal husbandry,” despite what she said in the previous interview. that all the paperwork was ok.
The man then acted as an intermediary between Zoo.se and a company that took over. According to information of 200 seconds, the man was also very involved in that company.
Zoo.se then bought animals from the new company until early 2020. Then a car stopped at the Öresund bridge. There were 200 animals in the car, but without permits. Several of the animals were going to Zoo.se, confirms the CEO.
“The animals were euthanized by a veterinarian by decision of the customs. When we found out about this, we broke all contact with them. It was a horrible experience, the worst I have had in all my years in the industry, ”Hulthén writes.
The case is now being investigated by prosecutors as alleged animal trafficking.
Pet trader: I left it behind
The pet dealer Zoo. Did business with in the early 2010s was banned from professional sales due to serious deficiencies in animal husbandry, but was later granted a renewed permit. In recent years, he has reported on several occasions and has also been featured in the local media.
Today, the man confirms that he did business with Zoo.se, but denies that he sold smuggled animals or animals with false papers to the company. He does not want to be interviewed.
– I left that behind, I no longer sell animals.
The prosecutor leading the preliminary investigation into the alleged animal trafficking on the Öresund Bridge tells Aftonbladet that the investigation is still in its infancy. There are no suspicions against Zoo.se.
200 seconds is Aftonbladet and Viafree’s TV show for quick reviews, which is perfect to watch on your mobile phone.
Robert Aschberg, Lindah C Mohlin and Christoffer Nilsson he sees abuses of power, contemporary phenomena and individual cases that arouse emotions.
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