Please send your prayers and thoughts out to the folks at ProExotics

I've been so heartsick all day thinking about this. I can't even imagine what they're feeling. So many years of hard work, and so many animals that the world probably hadn't even seen yet. I can't look at the pictures any more..

I just want to take a moment too, to ask people to be cautious when the time comes to give, be it money/animals/whathaveyou. We learned a painful lesson here with the un-Wise family, and I don't want to see it happen again. Hopefully one (or a few) trustworthy people will come forward to get the ball rolling soon, once the guys have a chance to take it all in and decide how they'd like help. (If they want help)

Whether it be cash, donations of animals, or just sending love and support, I'm in.

This is just heart wrenching.

I also seen the pictures and I almost started crying. I can't imagine how it feels to lose all your animals but one. From what I have read, they had 3,000 snakes and only 1 boa survived and a few monitor eggs? I think that is what it said. I hope more snakes survived. This is such a terrible lost. I am sure everyone will come together and help out Pro Exotics the best we can, no matter if it is donations of money or animals or actually going there and helping them with the clean up.

I haven't be able to get this out of my head....the thought of all the reptile lives lost, the thought of watching it happen and not be Able to do anything,the thought of years of work gone...and so on. it just gets to me...

then when I started to hear about some of the ideas that people are coming up with....sad as it is the first thing that came to mind was the "wise" disaster...I'm glad someone else said it first, but we need to make sure something like that can not happen this time.

I really don't have anything to give, I only have one Ball python(switched to boa's last year) and she is just a normal breeder, but if she could help in any way,they are welcome to her....once everything is set up, I will do what ever I can.


this should give us all something to think about, sad as it is, but at least there was no human life's lost. many of us keep many snakes in our homes, if this had happened at a home, the lose could of been a lot worse...please go over your set ups, and come up with plans if you haven't already done so...triple check everything, then check again....

Upon last word I've heard, there was 1 boa, 6 ratsnakes and a handful of eggs that survived the fire. The pictures are completely devestating and I cannot begin to imagine how horrible it must be to have to deal with all that.

I just found this thread today, and my first heart-sickening thought was Oh My God. I've got a stripe line I'll be breeding for the first time this year. It's just a dinker project, but I've been eyeballing their stripe line for years. I'd be more than happy to donate a couple of breeder normal females and a baby from the clutch I get from my stripes. Unfortunately, as a small breeder, that's the best I can do. You better believe I'd be throwing deserts their way if I only had them in my collection.

If there's anything we can do to help, PE, just ask. Property can be replaced, but individual animals can't, and there's nothing that can bring them back. But, we'll do what we can... I'll do what I can... to help you guys out.

EDIT: I'm assuming PE's paypal account is still active? If so, we could have auctions where the winner sends money directly to their paypal account, effectively eliminating the middle man and avoiding the whole donation-stealing fiasco that happened a couple of years ago here (I won't mention any names, but it's in the BOI if you're curious). I have a few leopard geckos I'd be glad to donate to an auction. The buyer could forward me paypal's email receipt, and then I could ship out the animals once I receive payment for the shipping in my own paypal account.

This is already posted in the other thread, but thought I'd post it here too- letter of thanks to the herping community from PE/SYR:

Hey everyone.

First of all, SO MUCH THANKS AND APPRECIATION for the love and support. How awesome. On a horrible day, how awesome to have that kind of community.

The burglar alarm went off because the building got so hot the front windows cracked and blew out, setting off the first alarm. The alarm company called and woke me at 5:45am with the alarm issue. They sent police. It didn't sound good, so I got up, brushed my teeth, and got dressed. 5 minutes later they called back and said they had reports of smoke pouring out of the building. This portion of the building is 4500 sq ft of warehouse space, where we keep all of our snakes, temp guns, offices, and other inventory.

I arrived 15 minutes later as a few fire crews were trying to cut through the garage doors/loading bays.

Once they got through, oxygen got in, and giant flames came shooting out.

It took a few hours to get the fire under control, and a few more for smoke to clear. We finally got to go inside at 4pm. It was worse inside than it looked from the outside. Everything gone, just melted. Dead animals everywhere.

Amazingly enough, one adult boa lived (but her cage did not?!?!???) and half a dozen Coxi juvies. We also were able to save some incubating eggs from the office area. Maybe a dozen total. So weird.

Ironically, the Sloan Bros came by yesterday to drop off a Champagne male for us. Nice timing boys : )

We appreciate all the support. I am astounded by the offers of charity, fund raising, and straight up offers of free animals to build a collection back. Wow.

But that is not what we need right now. We have weeks of cleanup and an entire life to put back together. Small steps. Basic steps.

I have to hire two strongmen to pick me up off the floor once this hits me, cause it's gonna be big, I'm sure.

Life is so weird. But so good. I have an amazing wife, an amazing friend in Chad, Captain Pleasant in Andy and PE Jimmy. We find strength in each other, and when we falter, we find strength in you guys.

It REALLY DOES make a difference, your support has an impact. I don't know what the future holds, but I have a size 12 stepping right to it : )

I cannot begin to explain the horror and sickness of walking through the facility and seeing so much death everywhere. At your feet, on shelves, all around you. Haunting, and so sad.

The cause is for the fire inspector and insurance guys to determine exactly.

Being out of almost all inventory, both live and merchandise, we will have to figure out a way to move forward with customers.

ShipYourReptiles is independent of the facility, and our guy Kevin is still on the ball and on top of things for SYR, so there is no interruption or effect with SYR.

I will be attending the Tinley Show as SYR, but won't have anything to offer on the PE side of things. I look forward to seeing you guys there.

Again, the support is humbling, and so powerful. Thank you all.
__________________
Robyn@ShipYourReptiles.com
ShipYourReptiles.com

and Pro Exotics Reptiles

Wow, I heard of this last night in the desert female thread and went online to investigate. When I heard of the fire and the loss, I felt sick. I know the attachment to and effort into the few animals I have and can't imagine being able to cope with the loss of them let alone 3,000 + animals. My heart and prayers go out to you guys and I am willing to do what little I can to help. Best of luck picking up the peices and let us know what can be done to help.

If anyone can get an okay from them (not now, I realize they have more important stuff to worry about) to share that paypal address, I'd love to see that spread around for those of us who would rather give directly to them. I went looking around last night for it, but did all my transactions with them over the phone so I don't have it.

I hope you guys at PE are hanging in there. It must be akin to entering a war zone. *hugs*

From their FB page:

Chad, Robyn, Andy, Nicci, Jimmy, the entire staff at Pro Exotics Reptiles are overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of love and support from the reptile community after our recent fire. We have suffered a total loss of our snake collection, and 97% devastation to our business. 20 years of passion and work has been erased in a moment. We face a long and hard road back to success.

We have received offers of aid, fundraising, cards of support, emails and calls from around the world. Unfortunately we are not in a position to accept any animals or caging at this time, we have literally no place to put them, our building is gone. If you would like to make a donation or show of support through these organized efforts online, we would bow our heads and so graciously accept them. The reptile community has simply been amazing. We deeply appreciate each of you, and we know that in the future, we will pay it forward.

In our darkest moment, the reptile community has provided a strong beacon of light and hope. Thank you so much. THANK YOU. -Robyn@ProExotics

Anyone have that paypal address and willing to post it?