ARLINGTON — An unusual municipal court animal-custody hearing ended Thursday with attorneys trading harsh words in closing arguments.

Arlington was "suckered" by "a radical interest group," said Lance Evans, attorney for the owners of U.S. Global Exotics.

Not so, an attorney for the city said: A north Arlington warehouse where more than 26,000 animals were seized was a "death camp."

The owners of U.S. Global Exotics are trying to regain custody of more than 26,000 animals that were removed by Arlington workers Dec. 15 after an undercover investigator for PETA turned over photos, videos and other documents taken during his seven months of employment there.

The administrative hearing before Municipal Judge Michael Smith lasted seven days. Smith said he could determine custody as soon as Monday.

Evans said PETA fabricated reports of animal cruelty at the business as part of its mission to shut down the entire exotic-pet industry.

The PETA investigator, Howard Goldman, testified early in the hearing that animals were kept in cramped dirty cages and often went weeks without food or clean water.

Goldman said sick or injured animals were denied care and left to die or were killed by being placed in a freezer.

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