Exotic rescue: Unwanted reptiles, birds find sanctuary at Ashwaubenon woman's home

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — A 46-and-a-half pound African spurred tortoise named Bubbles munches on grass in Jamie Kozloski's backyard.

Three other cages sit outside with two green iguanas and a larger lizard named Stavi while across the yard a small pool is filled with aquatic turtles and smaller tortoises.

This is the headquarters for Kingdom Animalia Exotic Animal Rescue that Kozloski, 27, founded in April 2012, Green Bay Press-Gazette Media reported (http://gbpg.net/156raX2).

Kozloski said she can recall the first moment she fell in love with reptiles at age 11.

"We took a family trip to Florida. When my brothers were swimming in the pool and being normal kids I was an 11-year-old girl behind the Dumpster catching anoles (a lizard)," Kozloski said. "That was the first time I had ever worked with reptiles or held reptiles. I was collecting them and putting them in my little Happy Meal bucket and bringing them back to the hotel room thinking I was going to bring them back on the airplane."

Since then, her love for animals has blossomed into a life dedicated to working with exotics. Kozloski's goals are to rescue and rehabilitate them while also educating the public.

In total, Kozloski estimated that since 2006 she has helped over 430 animals. She does not take in dogs and cats and usually deals with reptiles, amphibians, birds, small animals and invertebrates. At any given time she cares for 20-40 animals.

Animals come to her in a number of different ways, including drug busts or owners who don't want them and surrender them. If they come to her and need more specialized attention, Kozloski takes them Dr. Sarah Wolfe at the Animal Hospital of De Pere.

Wolfe described Kozloski as energetic and indispensable.

"In many ways I have always had a compassion for the underdog, and that's what exotics are," Wolfe said. "It's difficult to find affordable health care for them, and she is a champion for that."

There is a need for a sanctuary for non-traditional pets in Green Bay, Wolfe said. Many people think reptiles are adorable until they get larger and fully grown, Wolfe said. Sometimes reptile owners forget about the importance of UV lights and high humidity. So some people think the only solution to get rid of their animals is to release into the wild, which displaces the indigenous species, Wolfe said.

Educating the public about exotic animals is also important to Kozloski. In 2006, when she started working more with animals, she discovered she loved public speaking. Now she talks at schools, events, nursing homes and anywhere people request, bringing along six to seven animals. Her program topics vary from simple biology of the animals to the city's animal control program.

Kozloski stays outside when Bubbles roams the yard. Helping Bubbles and other animals is what makes her job rewarding.

"When I get them in sick, injured or otherwise unwanted it's really cool to work with these animals and see them improve on a daily basis and then get them into really good homes," Kozloski said.