Josh's Frogs awarded a 2025 Amphibian Conservation Grant to Wisconsin-based J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue to support routine Chytrid testing for all their incoming amphibians. To learn more about this grant-funded initiative, we did a virtual interview with J&R Director John Moyles.

How specifically do you plan to use the grant money? Grant funds will be used to test all amphibians surrendered at our Exotic Pet Surrender Events for Chytrid fungus (Bd) and Bsal, two pathogens of high conservation concern. This includes the cost of swab kits, PPE, sample processing, and laboratory testing. If no amphibians are surrendered during the 2026 event cycle, the funds will be redirected toward the care of other species surrendered at these programs, ensuring the grant continues to directly support animal welfare and responsible pet surrender.

What does winning this grant allow you to do that you might not have otherwise? Receiving this grant allows us to test every surrendered amphibian proactively, rather than only testing when symptoms appear or when resources are available. This shifts our approach from reactive to preventative, greatly increasing early detection and disease monitoring capacity.

When do you expect to see results from this? What are you hoping they look like? Testing results will begin coming in as soon as samples are processed. At the end of the year, we will compile all findings into a publicly accessible report summarizing prevalence, trends, and conservation implications. Ideally, results will show low or zero presence of Bd and Bsal—but if pathogens are present, early identification will be critical for management and prevention.

How will this project impact amphibian conservation? This project will create baseline statewide data on the presence of Chytrid and Bsal within the pet trade—a currently undocumented pathway. By identifying infected animals before they could be released or transferred, we directly reduce the risk of these pathogens entering native ecosystems and harming wild amphibian populations.

What are the larger implications of your work? These data may help conservation partners trace potential outbreak pathways and better understand how amphibian pathogens move through the pet trade. This work can inform future prevention strategies, support regulatory decisions such as Wisconsin’s NR-40 listing, and guide national conversations about disease risk management.

What message or information would you like to share with the reptile and amphibian pet community? J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue is the only rescue organization in the United States hosting dedicated Exotic Pet Surrender Events, and these programs have already helped save thousands of animals while preventing countless releases into the wild. With Wisconsin preparing to add Bsal and Chytrid to its NR-40 Invasive Species list, the data gathered through this project will be invaluable for understanding and preventing disease outbreaks. Responsible surrender protects both captive animals and wild populations.

How would someone make a donation to your organization? All donation options—including one-time gifts, monthly support, sponsorships, and supply wish lists—can be found here: https://linktr.ee/JRAAR

Where could someone learn more about your project? Information about our Exotic Pet Surrender Events, including schedules, partners, and impact data, can be found here: https://www.jraar.org/exoticpetsurrenderevents

Anything else you want to share? J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue has grown from a small basement fish rescue into Wisconsin’s largest and most impactful exotic pet rescue, serving as the state’s #1 turtle rescue and a national leader in responsible surrender programming. Our mission focuses on conservation, education, and providing humane alternatives to release. We are proud of what we’ve built, grateful for the thousands of lives saved, and committed to expanding our efforts to protect wildlife, pets, and ecosystems throughout the Midwest.