Hundreds of small animals relocated from the San Diego Humane Society to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona earlier this year were provided to a reptile breeder who sells live and frozen animals as reptile food, officials said Thursday. In August, the San Diego Humane Society transferred over 300 animals to Arizona as local shelters were over capacity. But the whereabouts of around 250 of the 318 transferred animals — which included guinea pigs, rats, hamsters and rabbits — soon grew murky. SDHS said they were told the animals were transferred to a single anonymous private rescue, but no proof was provided over the next few months as to where the animals were. Tucson-based HSSA later fired its CEO and accepted the resignation of its Chief Programs Officer over the issue. HSSA's board of directors said the agency's former CEO, Steve Farley, had assured the board that the animals had been moved to "a private family-run group in Maricopa County that had strong community resources and connections, and that, to avoid animals being dumped at their doorstep, did not want its information to be made public." In a joint statement issued Thursday, both SDHS and HSSA say the bulk of the animals were transferred to a man named Colten Jones, who runs a reptile breeding company called The Fertile Turtle. While 62 animals were returned to HSSA, the fate of the remaining animals is uncertain. However, in a recently uncovered text message sent one day after receiving the animals, Jones sought help from someone "in processing a high volume of Guinea pigs and rabbits for food," the agencies said. Tucson TV station KOLD obtained a copy of the text message which read, "Do you have the ability to freeze off a bunch of guinea pigs and or rabbits? I don't have the manpower or labor to be able to do it in time for the show and it's too much for me." FULL STORY: https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/animals-moved-san-diego-to-arizona-breeder-sells-animals-reptile-food/509-1ad3efdb-b492-4382-962f-5f3b5b8759bb