Animals found dead in a closed Lakeland exotic pet store

LAKELAND, Fla. - Polk County Sheriff’s deputies were called to Noah's Ark Exotic Pets Store in Lakeland on Monday after receiving reports of dead animals inside the business.

Investigators met the strip mall owner to get inside the store located on US Highway 92 East.

Lakeland Electric stopped electricity service to the store for five days after the bill went unpaid.

Inside the store, animal control investigators found eight dead animals.  Another 53 animals were recovered in the store where the inside temperature had climbed in excess of 100 degrees.

The store owner, identified as Diana Cabrera, surrendered the animals to Polk County Animal Control.

She told investigators that she was out of town from August 20 through the 27th and left a caretaker in charge of the exotic pets while she was gone.

Lakeland Electric sent a letter to Cabrera’s home indicating the power would be turned off August 25th if payment was not made.

Information about the case will be turned over to the State Attorney’s Office to determine if charges are appropriate.

Animals recovered include 21 chickens and pigeons, a turtle, a duck, one quail, 4 parrots, 8 cockatiels, 10 hamsters, 2 gecko lizards, 2 parakeets and 3 finches.