SEOUL – A man in his 20s was arrested for allegedly abandoning hundreds of pet reptiles in his rented apartment, many of which died, police said on Nov. 4.

The man is being investigated for violating the law under the Animal Welfare Act, according to a police station in Cheongju.

Police said they received a report on Oct. 11 from the landlord of an apartment building in the city’s Bokdae-dong district. The landlord said he had not been able to contact his tenant for several months.

Upon entering the apartment, police found 80 lizards and 15 snakes dead inside the house.

A total of 152 lizards and four snakes survived, despite their poor health. The surviving reptiles were sent to an animal shelter.

The shelter said the reptiles had been abandoned for about two months, based on the condition of their carcasses.

Following the police report, the tenant reportedly contacted the landlord, claiming that he had left the area to work in another city due to financial difficulties. KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK