At the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, the staff are not easily fazed. Whatever fluffy, creepy or crawly creatures enter the UK, they have to come through here, even if it is for a brief transit before being flown onto somewhere else. The diet plan on the wall specifies what crocodiles, Burmese pythons, turtles, cats and dogs need to eat and the kennels contain all sorts of exotic animals. The centre is, in a sense, the first port of call for immigrants and asylum seekers from the animal kingdom. For some, sadly, it is also their last destination as illegal, endangered and poisonous creatures are rarely returned to their origins.
I enjoyed a very informative tour with deputy manager Bob Wingate who has worked there for the past 20-odd years. A few of the pictures, shot for an article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine, I want to share here.
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