Overnight on March 5, entry was forced into Pets on Parade on High St, where glass enclosures in the store’s reptile room were smashed and ransacked.
A python, three turtles, several blue tongue lizards and a bearded dragon — Roger — were stolen.
Cash and stock, including dog clippers and accessories, were also stolen but the owners, who would like to remain anonymous, said most of the items taken were reptile-related.
They discovered the destruction when they arrived to open the store at 8.45am on March 6.
“All I did was run around and check on all the animals. I didn’t care about anything else,” they said.
The owners said other pet shops in central Victoria, including Cobram and Bendigo, had alerted Pets on Parade staff after their stores were targeted in the past year.
Two pythons were stolen from a Cobram pet shop on December 9 while other Bendigo stores were burgled, including Totally Reptiles Central Vic where an estimated 50 reptiles were stolen, consisting of snakes, bearded dragons, monitors and lizards, some of which were sadly killed during the raid.
The owners said they had come to terms with knowing they might not see the missing animals and stock again, but appealed to those responsible to return their 15-year-old family member’s pet.
“Please just bring our pet back, for my grandchild’s sake,” they said.
Investigations into the incident are continuing.
∎ If anyone has any information, CCTV or dashcam footage that might be helpful to police, please contact Shepparton Crime Investigation Unit on 5820 5777 or Crime Stoppers at crimestoppersvic.com.au or on 1800 333 000.
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