Georgia man caught with exotic animals says he had good intentions
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - Most people collect things like rocks, coins or vinyl records. Well, a Clayton County man took his collection to a whole new level. He was caught with well over a dozen exotic animals.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) game wardens teamed up with Clayton County Animal Control and the Clayton County Sheriff's Office to bust what they believe was an illegal exotic animal trade ring.
JaeQuan Smith Devers was arrested on Oct. 17 after his home was raided.
JaeQuan Smith Devers (Credit: Clayton County Sheriffs Office)
Video given by Jaequan Smith Devers shows first responders entering his house with their guns drawn, looking for exotic animals inside.
"I'm still learning and growing. I'm human I'm not perfect. I'm for the animals," Devers said.
Officials reportedly found and seized one ring-tailed lemur, one American alligator, two black and white tegus, one timber rattlesnake, one western hog-nosed snake, one bald python, 13 dogs and 2.8 pounds of marijuana.
"They are wild for a reason. They aren't dependent upon humans, so they require different care than ordinary domestic animals," Lt. Bubba Stanford of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said.
Devers posted a video of the raid on his Instagram account called "petzonwheelz" where he also shares images of himself and the animals. According to his Facebook page under the same name, he considers himself to be "a sanctuary and distributor for the animals that are better than people."
Devers was charged with six counts of possession of wild animals without a permit, four counts of possession of tools during the commission of a crime and marijuana and possession of marijuana over an ounce.
"My love for animals did allow me to supersede the fact I needed documentation in regard to the animals I rescued. I'm not saying that I should have had those animals, but what I’m saying is that for them to put out. I had some sort of illegal pet thing going on. That's not the case," Devers said.
(Credit: Clayton County Sheriff's Office)
Lt. Stanford says a 2023 law prohibits tegus in the state along with Burmese pythons.
"Black and white tegus are invasive species. They look cute and cuddly. People get them as pets and then they get too big and what do they do? They release it into the wild," Stanford said.
Devers said he is working to get the right permits for the animals he can get back, and his ultimate goal is to open a pet shop and educational center in Clayton County.
"I’ve been loving animals my whole life, and I'm going to continue to love animals," Devers said.
Illegal animals in Georgia
A tegu, which is a large species of lizard, is prohibited in the state of Georgia. They are considered harmful to native wildlife.
South Deerfield, MA - January 5: Porkchop the Tegu with his forked tongue at Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens. (Photo by Stan Grossfeld/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Alligators and crocodiles, which may run freely in Florida, cannot be kept as pets in the state of Georgia due to their size and "predatory" nature.
Lemurs are among the most critically endangered primates on the planet. More specifically, ring-tailed lemurs are considered endangered.
HANGZHOU, CHINA - JULY 31: (CHINA OUT) A ring-tailed lemur eats watermelon to beat the heat at Hangzhou Safari Park as the temperature reaches 37 degrees on July 31, 2016 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. (Photo by Visual China Group via Getty
According to the Clayton County Sheriff's Office, Clayton County residents are limited to owning five animals per household. Over 20 animals were seized during this operation.