"Activists" arson at pet store kills at least 25 reptiles

[bstutzma]

At least 25 reptiles died and another 50 to 75 fish are fighting to survive after an overnight fire ripped through a Cambridge pet store that had been spray painted with graffiti that said: "No more exploitation of animals."

Fire officials are still trying to determine how the fire started and if it had been intentionally set. The two-alarm blaze tore through Boston Tropical Fish and Reptile store on Monsignor O'Brien Highway shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday night.


http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2006/09/arson_suspected.html

I don't know what to think. I wonder if it was really animal activists, or some freaks impersonating them. Either way, its horrible this happened.

[janie]

Fire officials are still trying to determine how the fire started and if it had been intentionally set.
Why is this thread titled "activists arson at pet store?"

And the title of the article online is, "Cambridge pet store fire kills at least 25 reptiles."

That should be cleared up before people swarm this thread saying how horrible activists are.

[bstutzma]

Actually, the thread title is

"Activists" arson at pet store kills at least 25 reptiles.

Which was my way of questioning if it was activists. I also questioned if it really was activists in the first post. I can add a question mark if you like, and feel its too unclear.

And yes, it looks like some idiot activists did it. Like the ones who "liberate" lab bunnies into the outdoors where they are eaten or hit by cars in a matter of hours.

I'm not saying all activists are idiots. Many are heroic. But if these arsonists ARE activists, and not just some guys with a grudge against the store trying to blame it on activists, then yes, they are total, and complete, idiots.

[compassionate1]

But if these arsonists ARE activists, and not just some guys with a grudge against the store trying to blame it on activists

That was kind of my thought on this, bstutzma. Maybe someone wanted to make it look like activists?

If it really was "activists", then they clearly are having a hard time grasping the concept of animal rights activism.....

[berrykat]

or it maybe the owner of the store spray painted animal rights slogans on his shop and set fire to it himself to collect insurance money ....who knows?

[gaya]

or it maybe the owner of the store spray painted animal rights slogans on his shop and set fire to it himself to collect insurance money ....who knows?
I don't think so. I know this guy. He wouldn't do that.

[Thalia]

or it maybe the owner of the store spray painted animal rights slogans on his shop and set fire to it himself to collect insurance money ....who knows?
That was my thought. Maybe the business is going under. I know gaya knows this person, but this was my first thought, too.

[gaya]

Well, the reason I don't think he did it is because (as I stated in the other thread) he spent years taking in large abandoned fish that could not be resold and that involves a lot of work, care and expense. I don't see how he could just kill his animals without a care.

[Thalia]

I wonder if there is some other person that would benefit from the demise of the business, then, like a co-owner. Or perhaps someone who wanted revenge. Of course it could just be some dumb kids.

[janie]

I still don't know why this is being called arson on VB if it hasn't be determined to be arson. :confused:

[gaya]

I wonder if there is some other person that would benefit from the demise of the business, then, like a co-owner. Or perhaps someone who wanted revenge. Of course it could just be some dumb kids.
I do remember hearing of some business rivalry with some other store owner but don't quote me on that. But, the few people i know who know him always spoke pretty highly of him...people who are hardcore animal lovers and turn their homes into shelters for reptiles and fish. Hopefully it was just an accident, otherwise there's just another sick as$hole running around.

[gaya]

And speaking of fish. I went to work today and there was a mini-carnival at my uni. There must have been at least 50 people with gold fish running around and it drives me nuts to see it. I checked out the people who were selling the fish and they did include a small handout with care instructions but I doubt most will bother to read the instructions and all these fish will be dead within a month.

[bstutzma]

I don't know why people are questioning if this is arson if there was spraypaint out there. Maybe the police are still officially investigating, but if there was a fire, AND vandalism, doesn't that seem obvious that someone intentionally did this? The question to me, instead, is WHO did this...

[Irizary]

This makes no sense as any kind of an anti animal abuse action. It would be an extremely weird target. It would also be entirely against ALF or any AR person's ethics to torch a store with animals inside it. There must be more to this story.

Like, maybe it's just a regular old arsonist trying to throw the authorities off? Or maybe it's someone who really does get a kick out of hurting animals who wants to harm animal protectionists too? Or an enemy of the owner? What the writing does is possibly throw the authorities in another direction, although they should also think there is something odd about this.

[berrykat]

maybe a rival business in the area?

[Red]

This makes no sense as any kind of an anti animal abuse action. It would be an extremely weird target. It would also be entirely against ALF or any AR person's ethics to torch a store with animals inside it. There must be more to this story.

Like, maybe it's just a regular old arsonist trying to throw the authorities off? Or maybe it's someone who really does get a kick out of hurting animals who wants to harm animal protectionists too? Or an enemy of the owner? What the writing does is possibly throw the authorities in another direction, although they should also think there is something odd about this.

It was Colonel Mustard.

With a candlestick.

In the library.

[remilard]

this is the best thread evar

[Vegania]

No genuine animal person would do that.I know many animal people who would put the well being of animals over themselves;and would sooner they die in a fire than animals.

It's an insurance scam or the work of agent provoctuers.

[bstutzma]

There have been some arrests in this case.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/10/06/three_arrests_in_pet_store_arson/

Its still unclear what the motive was. I'll let you guys know when I do.

[Skylark]

Maybe an AR activist spray painted the store, and one or more of the arrested people saw it and got angry enough to start a fire.

Either way, it's really sad and confusing.

[gaya]

I just heard on the radio tonight that the arsonist was a store manager from another local pet store who was in the process of buying the store. Him, a 21 year old and 17 year old did the deed. Maybe he didn't want the competition? Either way, the owner of boston tropical wasn't implicated...not even from the beginning.

[Irizary]

I just heard on the radio tonight that the arsonist was a store manager from another local pet store who was in the process of buying the store. Him, a 21 year old and 17 year old did the deed. Maybe he didn't want the competition? Either way, the owner of boston tropical wasn't implicated...not even from the beginning.

Thanks for the update :)

Yeah, the "activist" angle made no sense (I know a couple people here will probably be disappointed, as they seem strangely excited whenever it seems that an AR activist has done something "wrong").

[berrykat]

I didn't think anyone who loved animals would have started that fire I thought money had to be the motive somehow.

[Diana]

See? Not everything can be blamed on TERRORISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[gaya]

Thanks for the update :)

Yeah, the "activist" angle made no sense (I know a couple people here will probably be disappointed, as they seem strangely excited whenever it seems that an AR activist has done something "wrong").
Well, trying to assume it was an AR person was certainly a transparent stretch (an unsuccessful one). It's a crazy story. I've been a small business owner in the past and I can understand wanting to run the competition out of town but for freaking sakes...how insane. Maybe the issue isn't simply competition and just a personal one. I imagine they swam in the same circles etc.

eta:wow! when i heard store manager i guess i just assumed it was the store manager of another store.