Underground Reptiles

Originally Posted by UndergroundReptiles

we will post a complete and detailed response tomorrow..

Waiting.....

Hey guys sorry for the late reply. What Mr. Garsik doesn't show is that these animals were abandoned at our facility without any discussion of purchasing them at all. If you note the large gaps in time in messages, I will try to help fill in the blanks. First Mr. Garsik contacted me in January asking us to sell some snakes. I told him we would need him to come by. Mr. Garsik, as he notes had been coming to our store for years, and had even taken venomous classes with us. He knows how the process works for selling animals. He was in a pinch. He finally came to our retail store first, and told the manager, that he needed to get rid of the snakes quick, due to the regulation change with fish and wildlife. He was then sent to the our wholesale offices and facility. At this time he communicated the same thing to me personally, and did not ask for a dime. As you can see I told him we would make him an offer, but since we did not need the snakes, and he communicated he had to get rid of them when here, no offer was made, we were simply trying to help him. I had even suggested him trying to sell the animals himself, which he stated he had not time for. Just dropped off the animals and left. He then contacts me several weeks later asking for an offer. I explained to him that he had abandoned animals. We would never allow someone to drop off animals, and then tell them we will get back to them with an offer. On what world does that make sense? However, because he had been a long time customer, and we had mutual friends, I told him we would give him $100 for both the cobra and the rattlesnake. He did not like the offer. I said I understand and to please come pick up the animals. We would charge him nothing for food and board. We understood completely. This was in February. I heard nothing again from Mr. Garsik for a few weeks. Then at the beginning of March Mr. Garsik asks for a better offer. I told him at this point that we could not offer him any better, and needed him to pickup the animals he wanted back immediately. We did not want them at all at this point. We told him he would need to bring his venomous license. He then told me another licensed venomous keeper would be taking the animals. I said this was fine. He assured me on the phone he was sending someone that very night to pickup the animals. This is someone we both know well. I called Mr. Garsik two days later when no one showed, as well as the person he said was picking up the animals. Just about two weeks goes by with not a word from Mr. Garsik or the person taking these snakes. While I was at an expo on March 21st, we get an inquiry about the Morrocan Cobra. We immediately tried once again to call Mr. Garsik, and the person taking the animal. We again received no response. Two days later the animal is sent and sold, and then conveniently the person shows up asking for the snakes. We explained what happened, to our mutual friend, and he stated he understood and had no idea there was a time restraint. He had even communicated to Mr. Garsik, he stated weeks ago, that he would not be available for some time to pickup the animals. The rattlesnake was taken, and a few days later I was called by Mr. Garsik. He stated he would only accept $250 for the cobra now, when he originally asked for $250 for both animals, because he knows we sold the cobra for $350. I explained we sold the cobra, for far less, but he stated he would go to the forums if I did not comply. Also please note Mr. Garsik was messaging an employee on our messenger. To recap in January we told him that we would take the animals as a release. In February he asks for an offer. He did speak to someone in January and we told him we could not give anything, and that we were simply trying to help him out, so that he could fall in line with the change that FWC made. In February we then made an offer of $100 he refused, and we asked him to pickup his animals. In march he contacts us again with a counter offer, at which time we stress again for him to pickup his animals that day. We hear nothing again for a couple of weeks, until after one of the animals are sold. His friend took back the other one. If we were trying to rob him, why would we give that animal back? Why did he not pickup the animals right away? Who drops off animals and then a month later ask for an offer? Who waits almost 2 months to pickup animals that a company was uninterested in buying? I'm sorry but if you abandon animals here, and then wait two months to pick them back up we are not responsible for holding the animals until you get around to it. I hope this clarifies things. I am sure many will agree, when it comes to selling animals, amount is agreed upon first, and payment made at the time of delivery, or sometimes even prior. Mr. Garsik knows this as well. He tried taking advantage of our kindness and desire to help. He even threatened to lie to Fish and Wildlife and state that the cobra was stolen. I have this in a message as well.

Originally Posted by UndergroundReptiles

He even threatened to lie to Fish and Wildlife and state that the cobra was stolen. I have this in a message as well.

Thank you for posting, the situation is beginning to make more sense now. Could you please post a screen shot of his threat to you?

Originally Posted by Lucille

Thank you for posting, the situation is beginning to make more sense now. Could you please post a screen shot of his threat to you?

I am also interested in the screenshot.

I would not even know where to begin with this convoluted tale. I was not in any dire need and just wanted a smaller collection to better fit in a different room. We certainly did discuss that they would make an offer. I definitely waited too long but by a week or two after drop off but trusted they might be using the snake in the store. (I have watched but have never taken a venomous class from them.) No timelines were ever discussed and these numerous conversations did not take place. I did report to FWC that the animal is no longer in my inventory. Loaning venomous animals is not unheard of but exchanging ownership usually involves exchange of license information. This never happened. Obviously I will not be repeating these stupidly naive mistakes again and leave to anyone else how they would prefer to conduct themselves with this company.

Originally Posted by garsik

No timelines were ever discussed

By them OR you OR both?

What are the abandoned property laws in FL; I know here in WV we can't just sell stuff that people leave at the shop. We have a specific set of steps we have to follow before we can declare it abandoned, and after that the property is turned over to law-enforcement, we can't just sell it.

Originally Posted by UndergroundReptiles

He even threatened to lie to Fish and Wildlife and state that the cobra was stolen. I have this in a message as well.

Post the message........

Lynn Peterson
Big Time Reptiles

Here is how I "threatened" to contact FWC. I thought this message should be handled between gentleman but they brought it up. Of course I notified FWC when an animal left by possession and ended up I don't know where.