Jun04
Last Chance for Turtles!
Posted at 03:46 PM | Permalink
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Comments (9)
Since 1975, there’s been this kickass law that protects baby turtles from being bought and sold as pets for kids who are likely to mistreat and eventually abandon them. All well and good so far, but all of a sudden this law is facing a serious threat of being overturned from the commercial turtle lobby (no, I didn’t realize there was a commercial turtle lobby either). Turns out that selling turtles for meat is a $9.4 million industry, and some turtle-hating Louisiana farmers have banded together to pressure the federal government into legalizing the sale of baby turtles in the U.S. The bill, introduced in Congress as HR 924 and S 540, is called the Domestic Pet Turtle Market Access Act of 2007, but despite the stupid name, this irresponsible, profit-driven idea stands to cause a huge amount of suffering to animals, as well as putting unwitting purchasers of pet turtles at serious risk from salmonella poisoning (since most reptiles carry the bacteria and often pass it on to humans). Anyway, if you’re looking to give your Monday a bit more meaning by doing something positive for animals, may I suggest that you click the button below to learn more and then contact the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to ask them not to cave to this weird, shady Turtle Profiteers lobby and leave the current, perfectly sensible ban as it is.
TAGGED:
Bill baby turtles
Comments
Please don't add another animal to the torture list.Let them be in peace...
Posted by: Elizabeth | June 4, 2007 05:12 PM
People should also know that reptile salmonella is a much more serious illness than bird salmonella. It's harder to treat, more virulent and it's very dangerous for children.
I once caught some teens stealing a turtle from our local reservoir, and I chased their SUV. Unluckily the police and I lost their trail.
Taking animals from the wild as pets is one of the worst human offenses in this world. The wildlife trade, whether for meat or pet shops, is killing our wild animal populations.
Posted by: Maya | June 4, 2007 05:38 PM
I can't believe this. They can not stop, can they?! Isn't eating cows and chickens bad enough? I already sent a comment to them.
Posted by: Morgab | June 4, 2007 06:30 PM
Leave the baby turles alone!!!
Posted by: Michelle | June 4, 2007 08:22 PM
maya,
"The wildlife trade, whether for meat or pet shops, is killing our wild animal populations"
Isn't this a reason for supporting such attempts by farmers to sell, for instance, the baby turtles. By being able to buy them at a store less will be taken from the wild.
Posted by: rojo | June 7, 2007 09:35 AM
Rojo,
That's an excellent question, and it's one that I discuss often with people. One of the problems with keeping reptiles as pets is that even zoo veterinarians have trouble keeping them healthy.
As a certified vet nurse and wildlife rehabber I treated hundreds of turtles and iguanas with metabolic bone disease because the pet stores are giving the owners the wrong diet and wrong nutirional information about turtles and iguanas.
Metabolic bone disease is devestating and what's really tragic is that these animals don't show symptoms until they are near death. They suffer terribly for years before getting treatment.
Their natural conditions are also very hard to reproduce in a person's home. These animals' needs do not change just because they are bred in captivity. They don't do any better in someone's house than any of us would do living in the desert with no resources. It's cruel.
And often when owners get frustrated either because their kids don't take care of the pet or people just get bored with them, they will let them go in the wild, which is devestating to wild populations.
Please read my blog post for more information. I look forward to any more comments you have about this!! :)
http://maya857.vox.com/library/post/lynx-controversey.html
Posted by: Maya | June 7, 2007 01:18 PM
Hi maya, I've been away sorry if you don't get this. I'll have a look at your blog when I finish.
The problem is when someone wants a turtle(or any reptile/animal) they will try and get one no matter what their rearing skills are. My thinking would be(not that I condone animal negligence) that "they" would be better of making mistakes with animals not removed from the wild. by being able to obtain turtles from a store the store owner may well be capable of educating on the do's and don'ts of looking after their purchase. Another thought is that when money has been spent another new level of responsibility exists.
Posted by: rojo | June 11, 2007 08:47 AM
you are the stupidest people ive ever heard of. ive been around turtles all my life and have never gotten sick you dumb ass people make me sick. people i know raise tutles for pets not for meat and they depend on the sell of these turtles to survive and you dumb asses are just trying to cry about something else. everyone of you idiots can kiss my ass
Posted by: ray woods | June 20, 2007 10:35 PM
I do not believe this
Posted by: fornetti | September 1, 2008 09:32 PM