• Responding to email notices you receive.
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    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

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    Posted 08/15/2025
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    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

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    Addendum: 01/10/2026
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    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

INQUIRY: International Fauna

I purchased a pair of large-spotted genets from Mike at International Fauna and the female died soon after I had received the pair. I am still waiting on necropsy results to see what was the cause, but I have been alerted that there are many other people who have had genets from Mike die. Please check out the genets mailing list group on yahoo for more information. It seems he is a broker and not a breeder like he represents himself to be. I would use extreme caution if you are going to buy anything from him.
I am extremely devastated by this, I researched him as best I could before the purchase and talked to him numerous times.

Fox Zenkova
Fox Exotics
 
I actually almost bought a nine-banded armadillo from Mike shortly after I posted my inquiry.

We spoke on the phone a few times, and he was very polite and helpful, since I was pretty new to exotic mammals. We arranged payment and I mailed him money, but soon after found out that armadillos are illegal to own in my state (Nebraska).

He was very understanding about it and returned my money right away.
 
I've been in the animal biz over 20 yrs. I have an excellent reputation for fairness and honesty. I bought a pair of genets in January of 2008 purported to be tame from Mike. They were not! He took them back, gave me credit. He has never made good on the credit ($1,000)! For over a year I have been waiting for animals or money. I've have been calling him 2-3 times a week trying to get animals or money for the last three months. He is now not answering his phone and refuses to return my calls. If you check www.sunbiz.org and put his name in the search box, you will find he has opened eight animal oriented corporations in the State of Florida over the last 20-30 years. ALL, including "International Fauna" are inactive (closed). "International Fauna" is no longer an active corporation in the State fo Florida. Buyer beware! If you want to help me out, call him (and/or post this on other forums) and tell him you read this post and to make things right with Pet Safari! If he makes it right I will post and say so!
 
Mike Frewer called me today. He apologized for the miscommunication and delay. He has promised to make everything right by this Friday. I do believe he will. Thank you.
 
BOI readers: To be perfectly clear, Mike Frewer of International Fauna has made good on all counts. He was incredibly nice and business like. I believe he is a good person with whom I had a complete misunderstanding (on both our parts). All is taken care of and I can honestly say I am satisfied and will do business with him again. Any questions, feel free to contact me. I would not hesitate to recommend doing business with him.
 
International Fauna - Mike Frewer

I bought a sloth from Mike about 8 months ago which died with in a week. Mike promised time and time again to make things right, but to date has done nothing but offer $100 discount on a baby genet. I understand the animal business and importing that animals die, but if you promise to make things right keep your word. Do your homework and research before you waste hard earned cash on an unhealthy animal. To note it's been almost 2 months since our last contact with Mike either by our efforts or by Mike
 
Anyone out there recently have dealings with this guy? I purchased a badger from him almost 2 months ago, and he seems to have an excuse every day about why he can't ship her to me. He states that there are weather issues, although I have had other shipments from FLorida in the last month without problems. When I told him I would fly out to FLorida to pick her up myself, the phone mysteriously went dead, he will no longer answer his phone, or emails. Any information, as to his whereabouts, address or anyone else who is trying to get there money or animals would be appreciated.
 
Most likely is because he is waiting on the trappers to catch them. This is the time of year they catch the badgers. They mate in then have a delayed implantation. They catch before spring and wait on the babies. Sell them for a bundle and dump the mean nasty momma.
 
Mike Frewer International Fauna

Hmm, interesting theory. Especially since I have asked him a dozen times to see photos of the babies, and there is a million reasons why I never receive any. I have heard from others with similiar stories, and I am putting together a file, to proceed firther.
 
I has in exotics for many years. I have never seen "CAPTIVE" badgers have babies. I have seen and raised "FARMED/TRAPPED" badger babies. If he said you were getting a baby a few months ago, then you got had !!! Trust me, no theory here, pure FACTS of the exotic animal business.
 
Mike Frewer International Fauna

He told me they were EUropean Badgers. But I am getting the feeling you are correct, and I was ripped off. So at this point, I am getting as much information as possible, so I can proceed further in recovering my money.
 
Benay said:
Anyone out there recently have dealings with this guy? I purchased a badger from him almost 2 months ago, and he seems to have an excuse every day about why he can't ship her to me. He states that there are weather issues, although I have had other shipments from FLorida in the last month without problems. When I told him I would fly out to FLorida to pick her up myself, the phone mysteriously went dead, he will no longer answer his phone, or emails. Any information, as to his whereabouts, address or anyone else who is trying to get there money or animals would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Yes by the sounds of it you were probably ripped off.

But on the other side of the coin badgers are ILLEGAL to own in the state of CA without a proper permit. It's possible Mike knows this and thinks you could be Fish and Game trying to catch him in committing a federal crime.

I suggest you just attempt to get your money back and let this go unless you have the proper permits. If not it's a $5,000 fine and possible jail time. ;)
 
Mike Frewer International Fauna

I do have the permits. I am a fully licensed and permitted facility. He is quite aware of my legal standing. In fact I will probably be contacting Fish and Game and Fish and Wildlife in regards to this issue.
 
Interestingly, Mike Frewer just called! Apparently he he reads this section. He has yet again PROMISED to send me a refund "next week"....sounds kinda like that old Popeye routine by Wimpy...."I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today"......

He then began to threaten us to try and get us to take down the posting. LOL.

He will not give us an address to come to get the badger, although I found out he is somewhere on Mariner Blvd/Quality road.

Of course, he says his emails to us always come back to him, although I get several hundred a day, and have NEVER had a problem from anyone else.

I'll keep you all posted if I get my animal or money back. Thank you all for your help.
 
Look under USDA permit holders for a class "B" broker permit. The phyiscal address should be there. If not then look for his USDA inspection reports, used to be able to get the 2 latest reports on-line, but then again I have been out of the exotics for a few years and things could have changed some.
 
Benay said:
Interestingly, Mike Frewer just called! Apparently he he reads this section. He has yet again PROMISED to send me a refund "next week"....sounds kinda like that old Popeye routine by Wimpy...."I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today"......

He then began to threaten us to try and get us to take down the posting. LOL.

He will not give us an address to come to get the badger, although I found out he is somewhere on Mariner Blvd/Quality road.

Of course, he says his emails to us always come back to him, although I get several hundred a day, and have NEVER had a problem from anyone else.

I'll keep you all posted if I get my animal or money back. Thank you all for your help.
Click to expand...

Okay, so Mike Called last week insisting that he would make good, and I would have my money on 2/8/10. Guess what, its 2/10/10 and I have still not heard from him or received my refund. Anyone out there surprised?

I am now formally going to proceed in a very aggressive way. I have a friend with the Department of Fish and Wildlife that I am waiting to here back from, who will probably do an investigation on him. As well, since I made my payment through the mail, I will submit a claim for mail fraud, which is actually a felony. One of the list also privately emailed me about there being a similar law about dealings on the internet that are scams, and that is also prosecuted as a felony.
 
Just an update:

Not only has Mike Frewer/International Fauna NOT sent me a badger, I have not received a refund either. What I have received are threats of violence to my family, employees and myself, to stop posting about him.
 
Mike Frewer of International Fauna HAS NOT MADE GOOD on the purchase of a female imprinted Badger. It has been 5 months, and the only thing I have received form this man/company are either threats to harm me, my family, and employees. He is NOT a man of his word. I have also found out through the Department of Fish and Wildlife, that he is not even licensed to possess badgers, let alone sell them. This was a scam from the very beginning. I will not stop posting until I get my $1750 returned to me.

Benay Karp
 
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