December 13, 2021 – Malibu, CA – American tortoise rescueThe international non-profit Turtle and Turtle Conservation Conservancy is urging consumers not to purchase live animals, especially turtles and tortoises, as holiday gifts.
Susan Terem, Executive Director of American Tortoise Rescue (ATR), said that while these wonderful animals have outlived dinosaurs, illegal smuggling and the commercial pet trade of turtles and tortoises have become widespread and plague the world. wild populations in the country have been devastated. Nearly 50% of his once-thriving species are now endangered. Worse, many are now extinct.
“The pet industry thrives on small, adorable, exotic animals with high price tags,” Terem says. “Our advice each holiday season is to avoid impulse purchases. We understand the appeal of adorable two-inch baby turtles,” Terem added. “However, many turtles and turtle conservation efforts in the United States and other countries bring wonderful animals of all sizes and species into good homes.”
Terem gives five reasons why you shouldn’t buy a turtle as a gift.
- Turtles are boring. Parents should not expect their children to find endless enjoyment in this animal, which essentially spends most of the day sitting still and basking in the sun. Many children are fed up with turtles in aquariums and do not want to clean the habitat or change the water. Terem reminds everyone that turtles and tortoises poop.
- Most turtles and many turtles should already be in hibernation at this time of year. It’s unnatural that they should be sleeping from October to April, but they’re awake and being sold. Selling wild animals that need to hibernate to stay healthy is cruel.
- Turtles trapped in aquariums are miserable. It’s like spending your entire life in a bathtub, Terem said. The only suitable habitat for adult animals is outdoors. Natural sunlight helps maintain a healthy shell and is necessary for animal growth and thriving. During hibernation, most reptiles can spend time in dry, predator-proof shelters.
- Adoption is the ideal option, Terem said. When the animals wake up in the spring, conservation groups and animal shelters place them in “forever homes” with suitable habitats. Most sanctuaries charge no or minimal fees for adoption, with only the promise that the animal will receive special care for its entire life.
- Turtles can easily live 25 or even 50 years or more, and turtles can live over 100 years. It’s not in the animal’s best interest to make impulse purchases without thinking about the future, Terem said. Animals can outlive their owners, so planning should be done with your will and family. Thirty-one years before her, her husband, Marshall Thompson, said: “Many owners think that if a turtle becomes a problem, the zoo will take it. This is simply not true. Zoos are not interested in abandoned pets,” she said.
She added that domesticated pets cannot be released back into the wild. It will either die or introduce disease into an already fragile wild ecosystem. This is also illegal in many states.
Terem says her sanctuary, like many other animals, is full, so the option of keeping animals in sanctuaries isn’t always the answer. The best solution is to find a caring adopter who can give your pet a proper “forever home.”there are many national rescue organization This makes adoption easier if people are interested in getting an animal. Also ask your veterinarian or your local his nextdoor.com site.
Here’s one way to enjoy turtles and tortoises without harming them: make a donation to non-profit organizations. “This allows us to care for and feed more than 100 turtles in the reserve. We do not use funds for salaries and overheads. We help a wide variety of animals that need special care,” Terem says.
American Tortoise Rescue is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 to protect turtles and turtles of all species. More than 4,000 people have been rescued and returned home so far. Abandoned children who cannot be adopted due to poor health remain in ATR care for the rest of their lives. ATR works to end ‘live market’ slaughter of turtles globally and to stop the cruel importation and exploitation of various species. For more information, please contact American Tortoise Rescue at www.tortoise.com. Or send an email to info@tortoise.com. Follow @tortoiserescue on Twitter Facebook .
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