ARLINGTON — Animal welfare workers removed more than 20,000 exotic animals from a north Arlington pet wholesaler Tuesday in what officials called one of the largest seizures of its kind.

Arlington Animal Services, along with the Humane Society of North Texas and the SPCA, raided U.S. Global Exotics in the Great Southwest Industrial District after federal authorities tipped city officials to inhumane conditions, officials said.

The federal authorities seized the company’s records and computers last week in a separate investigation. The nature of that investigation could not be learned Tuesday.

Hundreds of carcasses were found, and the smell of death inside the one-story building was overwhelming, workers said.

"Such a number of dead or dying animals I've never seen before," said Texas SPCA President James Bias, who has worked for animal welfare agencies in North Texas for years.

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