What do you get when you cross a turtle with a swimming pool? Salmonella soup.

blog.nola / CC

According to a recent news report, two Union County, North Carolina, teenagers contracted salmonella after taking a dip in a backyard pool with two "pet" turtles. Both suffered stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting—one of the girls developed kidney failure and had to spend eight days in the hospital.

These girls are only two victims of the largest turtle-related salmonella outbreak in U.S history. More than 100 people in 34 states—most of them children—were sickened by the same strain of salmonella between 2007 and 2008.

Authorities believe that the outbreak may have occurred during the shipping process, when one infected turtle—who was probably being stored in an extremely crowded, cramped, and inadequate space before being mailed off to a pet shop or flea market—contaminated his buddies.

This outbreak isn't an isolated incident. The FDA reports that there are more than 74,000 "pet" turtle–related cases of human salmonella poisoning every year. And that's understandable when you consider how easily salmonella spreads. Simply by playing with turtles at school, kids can bring the germs home to family members.

Many of the parents of infected kids had no clue that turtles even carried salmonella. Um, hello—there's a reason why it's illegal to sell turtles with shells less than 4 inches long. After all, kids do the darndest things—like put baby turtles in their mouths …

So what have we learned? Let's see—don't buy turtles or other exotic animals, refrain from putting reptiles near or in your mouth, and never, ever invite turtles to your pool party.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

PETA has been after candymaker Mars Inc. for funding deadly animal testing, and now caring consumers have one more reason to think twice before they buy Mars products. (I certainly know what candy I'm not buying for Halloween this year!)

Mars Petcare US has just announced a voluntary recall of all dry pet-food products produced at its plant in Everson, Pennsylvania, between February 18 and July 29, citing potential contamination with salmonella.

This huge recall affects 31 states and includes brands such as Pedigree, Ol' Roy, and others. Salmonella can cause serious infections in animal companions and, if there is cross-contamination, in humans as well.

Here is a list of the affected products and other urgent information for animal guardians. Please make sure your pet food isn't on the list, and follow the important instructions provided in case you've purchased potentially contaminated food. Questions about the recall can be directed to Mars at 1-877-568-4463.

It seems like déjà vu … cruel company conducting experiments on animals produces dog and cat food that hurts the animals in our own homes … Iams recall, anyone? Check out our quick refresher course on how Iams tortures animals and why many veterinarians, animal shelters, shops, and animal guardians are boycotting Iams.

PETA keeps an up-to-date list of cruelty-free pet-food companies here. When you purchase food from these companies, you can do so with a clean conscience—that's always a good thing!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Everyone needs to pay attention because this is getting a lot less hype in the media than the original story did. There's scientific evidence to prove what PETA has been saying all along: The recent salmonella outbreak wasn't all about tomatoes or jalapeños but rather contaminated water.

Why is the water contaminated, you ask? Long story short, it's because massive overproduction of factory-farmed animals leads to tons of feces. Cattle are sick (rhymes with "ick"), and so are chickens. Living in filth makes their disease spread. Those tons and tons of contaminated feces then end up in the irrigation water (ick)—the same water that then ends up on the produce (double ick).

The meat industry is the culprit! (I keep hearing my mother's voice in my head ... "If I've told you once, I've told you 1,000 times.") So stop blaming the poor tomatoes already!

Better yet, join the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in demanding that the Department of Health and Human Services investigate the meat industry—the real reason why our produce is contaminated!

Have you seen the stories about the child who died from salmonella he got from a pet turtle? It's so sad, and is yet another reminder of the dangers of keeping turtles in captivity. According to the FDA, there are more than 74,000 cases like this per year, so clearly more people need to hear about it.

And while it's awful that people get sick and all, let’s not forget that keeping turtles in aquariums or cages is certainly no fun for them either. Far from it. The best solution for everyone involved is to simply leave the turtles alone and let them live where they belong, in the wild.

So the next time you see someone selling little turtles in a souvenir shop or in a bodega in NYC (they are super popular in Chinatown), speak up. And remember that it’s actually illegal to sell turtles with shells less than 4” long, so if you spot that, report the place to the authorities.