Exotic Pets’ Home On Endangered List Potential Sale Of Warehouse Has Refuge Owners Scrambling

Tue., Dec. 30, 1997

Associated Press

A couple who have collected about 300 exotic pets from owners who no longer want them are facing a big, expensive move.

Christine and Clarence Schramm, who operate the Rainforest Reptile Refuge Society in this Vancouver suburb, have been told the warehouse that houses the animals is up for sale.

Christine estimates it will cost more than $100,000 to move to the kind of facility she’d like for the exotic collection of turtles, alligators, snakes, tarantulas and other creatures.

So far, $327 has been raised.

The Schramms began collecting the pets in 1986 when a friend dropped off an iguana.

Since then, there have been 99 other species, including 100 turtles, 16 cayman alligators, 70 snakes, seven tarantulas, lizards and a macaw.

The refuge has become an educational space for school groups and is funded entirely by admission prices and donations, Schramm said.

At one point last summer, 1,435 people lined up to view the collection.

She figures it costs $2,000 a month to feed the creatures she has.

Still, she hopes to move the collection and expand it.

“What happens to all the hedgehogs, monkeys and pot-belly pigs when no one wants to take care of them?” she asks.

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