Jurors in Sarasota have convicted a local veterinary technician on a slate of animal cruelty charges after investigators found reptiles in his care emaciated, dehydrated and, in several cases, already dead. Prosecutors said the animals, including venomous snakes and a lace monitor lizard, were kept in cramped, inadequate conditions, with multiple snakes discovered dead inside a garage. County court records show the defendant, Christopher George Pettit, received a sentence of six months in jail and 18 months of probation, along with restrictions on having custody of animals during that probation period.
According to a news release summarized by Tampa Bay 28, the State Attorney’s Office said Pettit’s crimes unfolded over many months and were investigated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The outlet reports Pettit, who worked as a vet tech at a local veterinary practice, kept reptiles in plastic bins with no food or water, a setup that turned a supposed safe haven into a slow-motion disaster.
What investigators found
Prosecutors said Pettit housed three venomous snakes, two non-venomous snakes and a lace monitor lizard in a garage with no ventilation, and that the surviving animals were severely emaciated and dehydrated when authorities stepped in. One of the snakes later died after being rescued, and investigators also found multiple dead snakes at the scene, according to reporting by WFLA.
Charges and trial
The State Attorney’s Office filed multiple counts against Pettit, including cruelty to animals and keeping venomous reptiles without a permit, and the case went to trial at the Sarasota County Courthouse earlier this month. The local report notes that the offenses stretched over many months and that wildlife officers from the FWC led the investigation, per Tampa Bay 28.
Sentence and prosecutor comment…