Nature Done Wright

Ralph Scafuro, who grew up in Allendale, was kind enough to share a few memories regarding the pet supply business located on what is now Meadow Lane.

My Uncle Victor had an aquarium supply business there called Perma-Life in the 195os & '6os, which he sold to Long-Life.

I think they raised goldfish in the ponds there.  I can picture large nets scooping them out, but that just may be my imagination.

There were several buildings. They kept dozens of tanks of tropical fish in the first building. 

Another was a greenhouse for aquarium plants, one for dry goods & offices.

There was a little drainage ditch leading from the aquarium building to the brook. When they took fish for orders, sometimes some would drop into the drain. A couple of us kids would go there after school to see if we could catch any for our tanks.

The  best find was when a baby alligator came out.

After my uncle died in the mid-Sixties my father took over the property for the chain of pet shops he had. My cousin Lou was the warehouse manager. 

One winter we got in a box of several dozen baby softshell turtles which we put in a tank of warm water to revive them. When Lou came in he asked where they came from.

We told him that they came from the ponds in the Celery Farm & to catch him you had to break a hole in the ice, bang on the ice with the net handle & then scoop them when they came up.

We all had a great time watching him from the warmth of the warehouse while he spent an hour out banging on the ice.

When my father had the place we also kept animals to send to the pet shops. Snakes, monkeys, kinkajous & more.

He also would get larger animals to use as promotions at the pet shop. We had a pair of tiger cubs that were really too big to use. They escaped in the warehouse & we had a hard time corralling  them.

We had a sun bear cub that would ride around with me & Dim in my convertible,  & a couple chimps that lived at home with us, All were eventually donated to zoos.

At that time there were no restrictions on what could be bought. I remember seeing a brochure of prices. I think a baby elephant could be gotten for $600.