Bad Guy Amanda & Mike Webb of The Pet Gecko

[Kristi23]

One can hope. But my guess is short of someone with a mountain of incontrovertible hard evidence that the Webbs are knowingly selling sick animals, nothing will be done. Perhaps that's a little cynical, but the reality is they appear to have gotten away with this for a long time.

What I'm hoping is that since it is now a legitimate business, they will be held accountable more. I know how crazy people get with complaints when stores are dirty and animals are kept incorrectly. Maybe it won't matter, but I think it will be tougher for them to keep a store open with the type of business they run vs just selling online and at shows. I have some hopes, but I know it might not change anything.

 

[favrielle]

What I'm hoping is that since it is now a legitimate business, they will be held accountable more. I know how crazy people get with complaints when stores are dirty and animals are kept incorrectly. Maybe it won't matter, but I think it will be tougher for them to keep a store open with the type of business they run vs just selling online and at shows. I have some hopes, but I know it might not change anything.

I see what you're saying.

The reason I'm thinking complaints of sick/unhealthy/poorly kept animals might not achieve much, at least for something like leopard geckos/banded geckos/other herps, is because of the widespread ignorance about what constitutes proper care and health. If the store isn't dirty or clearly in violation of some regulation or another (and I have no way of knowing if it is or isn't), then all you're left with is potential complaints of sick animals. If whoever ended up investigating knew nothing about reptile care, those complaints could easily be explained away by blaming the customer for poor husbandry, maybe showing a few "official documents" from a vet certifying the store's animals are in good health, etc. (In other words, exactly what the Webbs, specifically Mike, did here in this thread. I still occasionally stumble upon those who believe him/them, so apparently that tactic *does* work sometimes.) Unless the animals are looking bad enough in-store for an "average Joe/Jill" inspector to recognize their ill health, I'm guessing it would take a LOT of sick/dead animal complaints over an extended period of time before anything would be done... if ever. That's my thinking, anyway.

And with that, I'm out of here before I get dragged back into the Fauna rabbit hole.

 

[Fireman1464]

Found this when I Googled their pet store looks like an animal control officer is after him almost seems like karma at work

 

[favrielle]

Found this when I Googled their pet store looks like an animal control officer is after him almost seems like karma at work

That appears to have been resolved.

I believe this comment, straight from Mike's own words, sums up his problem rather well:

I may have taken this and the violation of our rights a little too personally and responded to the issue more aggressively than I really needed to

He *may* have taken it too personally,*may* have responded more aggressively than he needed to... that is not the language of someone owning his choices or taking responsibility for his behavior.

It's been nearly 2 years since my issue with Mike and Amanda started. Here he is again paying lip service to the concept of taking responsibility without actually doing so. It appears that, in essentials, this man has not changed. I would assume, by extension, that his business practices (and his wife's?) have also not changed.

Anyone choosing to do business with Mike Webb, Amanda Webb, Rocky Ford Exotic Pets / Rocky Ford Exotic Pet Shop (their FB page name) does so at their own risk.

 

[Lucille]

Angela, you might consider sending this thread to the City Manager and Police Chief. Somehow, given what Mike has done here, I don't think their troubles with him are over.

 

[soooeee]

Mike Webb

Thought I'd throw in my .02 worth....I dealt with these two several years ago and they are both liars and crooks. Took animals from me then made numerous excuses why they could not or did not send trade animals. How they are still in business is beyond my understanding.

 

[juliasara]

Thought I'd throw in my .02 worth....I dealt with these two several years ago and they are both liars and crooks. Took animals from me then made numerous excuses why they could not or did not send trade animals. How they are still in business is beyond my understanding.

Any proof of your claims? Emails? Texts?

 

[Snake-Queen]

Any proof of your claims? Emails? Texts?

While proof would add to the list, I do not doubt their claim.


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[Kristi23]

While proof would add to the list, I do not doubt their claim.


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I agree. I'm not sure I would have the proof years later. If I was starting a BOI, definitely. But I tend to add to existing ones when I see them. It might be years after business is done.

Either way, there are a lot of negative things over the years out there about the Webbs. That, along with the way they respond to issues, is enough to make anyone reading this avoid them.

 

[juliasara]

I don't doubt it either but the more actual evidence people see the more likely they are to avoid them.

 

[juliasara]

Also, Soooeee posted a bad guy thread recently and her stories didn't match and she had no evidence to verify her claim so her credibility was questioned so I figured some might see that and not believe her claim here. I know it was a long shot but figured it couldn't hurt to ask. Maybe I'm weird but I have every email that has to do with a sale or purchase I've made in a folder. I believe it goes back as far as 2004. I've rarely needed them but there have been a few occasions I was glad to have saved them.

 

[Snake-Queen]

Maybe I'm weird but I have every email that has to do with a sale or purchase I've made in a folder. I believe it goes back as far as 2004. I've rarely needed them but there have been a few occasions I was glad to have saved them.

Not weird, I also have emails.




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[kouneli]

Just an update that I found....
I highly suspect that at least some of the "false reports" were actually legit, and not just "harassment" from animal control. Sadly, people are still donating to this.

 

[kouneli]

And the last screenshot...

 

[Johnsonsblasting]

That's called karma


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[favrielle]

Just an update that I found....
I highly suspect that at least some of the "false reports" were actually legit, and not just "harassment" from animal control. Sadly, people are still donating to this.

I'm not surprised that Mike and Amanda have people who're willing to help them out; almost everyone has some friends/family that'll help in a bind. Even I feel bad for them... mostly for the kids' sake.


For completeness, I've attached the last photo from the gofundme... it's not for the squeamish, so scroll past if you don't like the sight of injuries/blood. Based on the pic, I wonder if Mike didn't "accidentally" hit a tank, but instead punched one in anger. No way to know without being there, I suppose.

Texas people, you'll need to be on the lookout for the Webbs once they move down there, assuming they don't end up moving somewhere else instead.

 

[Kristi23]

I find it very hard to believe anything those two say, especially Mike. I wonder what the real story behind all this is. I would not be surprised if their store was nasty with sick animals. I honestly only feel bad for the animals and their kids.

 

[tlmoon]

From their petition website: https://www.change.org/p/rocky-ford...d-felon-animal-control-officer-has/u/14632762

Dec 16, 2015 — We were able to sit down with the city manager and police chief, on multiple occasions in order to discuss what issues others and ourselves were experiencing and we were able to come to an agreeable solution. The intial instigating factors involved a combination of false reports by drug dealing neighbors who were upset over the loss of their pit bull that attacked my wife and was taken from them by animal control and the fact that I was opening an exotic pet store and they did not know what to expect or how to handle that type of new business having never dealt with an exotic animal breeder such as myself. I may have taken this and the violation of our rights a little too personally and responded to the issue more aggressively than I really needed to, therefore I will be issuing the city a letter of apology for the way I handled this. We were able to come to an agreement, and we have agreed to work with the city to make this a better place not only for pet owners, but for the city as a whole. With this in the past, now we can focus on a better future. Again I want to Thank everybody for their support, the newspapers and stations that assisted, the Chief of Police, Mickey Bethel, City Manager, Ian Kaiser, for taking the time to address the situation and their efforts in working out a solution, and a special thanks to my wife, Amanda Webb for her continued love and support, through thick and thin.. I will be removing all Facebook post so there is no longer a negative light shed upon this city through my social media since this matter has now been resolved.

I don't know the story here, but it looks like they had some issues with the city. It looks like maybe there are some anger management issues as well? Goes with the sliced up arm I guess.

Apparently after coming to some kind of agreement in December things didn't work out leading to the posts above.

Doing some more googling, one can find a Rocky Ford City council meeting from a year ago in which there was some discussion about how many pets could be owned and who would regulate a pet store.

RESOLUTION CONSIDERATION

Resolution #3, Series 2015 – A Resolution to Modify Ordinance Number 882 and Title 5 of the Rocky Ford Municipal Code and Adopting Rules Regulating Animal Care and the Control of Animals and Adding Title 5.04.035 Tethering

Discussion was held regarding the City’s problem with Citizens keeping more than four animals and that the current Ordinance does not have enough “teeth” to make it enforceable. A change was made to set a fine that a portion cannot be waived or suspended in Municipal Court. Discussion was held regarding what constitutes an “exotic” animal. Council learned that the determination is made by the State of Colorado Department of Wildlife. Animal Enforcement Officer Lisa Carter informed Council that she would give Citizen’s a 24 hour notice to comply. Discussion was held about the City’s cat problem and the potential of unequal enforcements of the animal code and a possible exemption by obtaining a permit. Discussion was held regarding a potential Pet Store business opening and who would regulate the type of animals that might be sold.

 

[favrielle]

The petition was posted a few pages back, I believe.

I did some digging in the publically available city council records for Rocky Ford myself.

I found only two mentions of Mike Webb...

The first was 2-24-15:

Mike Webb, residing at 609 S. Main, Unit 1, addressed Council. Mr. Webb stated that he came to tonight’s meeting because he is looking into opening a Pet Shop in the City. He thought maybe the proposed Ordinance #904 on the Agenda would affect the opening of that business, but after looking at the Ordinance he doesn’t see anything that pertains to a business. Mr. Webb did comment that he felt that there should be included in the Ordinance a section regarding aggressive breeds of dogs, or dogs showing aggressive behavior that are chained or tethered, should still be in a fenced yard to provide a barrier between a person or child and that aggressive animal. Mr. Webb also commented that on the proposed Ordinance section 5.07.010, the maximum number of four (4) animals is good if it relates to dogs, cats, and larger animals. The Ordinance does not include fish or birds, but he feels that small pets like reptiles, rabbits, hamsters etc. should be considered like fish or birds. It is very easy to violate the City Ordinance with just small pets.

Councilmember McClure informed Mr. Webb that because of the type of government that the City is, Council cannot define a certain breed of dog as aggressive. Council can describe “aggressive dog” as being any dog that behaves a certain way.

The second was on 10-13-15, which I could only find in PDF form, and have attached the screen shot of the mention below.

I found no other mentions of Mike or Amanda Webb in any other minutes from 2015 or the minutes posted to-date in 2016.


I also found something else while rabbit-trailing for more information, attached below. It may or may not be relevant; being a small-time hobby breeder, I will never see $75k and up in net sales in a year, or even several years, but I suppose it could be very different for the show/expo/repticon circuit.
Could someone else with show experience please shed some light on the credibility of this figure?


After over two years with no resolution, my opinion has definitely not changed... I do not recommend doing business with Mike Webb, Amanda Webb, The Pet Gecko, and/or their new brick-and-mortar business Rocky Ford Exotic Pets.

 

[soooeee]

Apparently....

....some of you morons either cannot read or are just too stupid to take up space on earth...like juliasara......there were no emails moron because he came to my place, made a deal, me being trusting until you screw me, took the animals we agreed on in trade....then took off. Hey juliasara - please do a deal with these two - you're almost dumb enough to do it!