Joined
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34 Posts
Okay. So.
My best friend has a neighbor under her apartment that during last winter (2014), I noticed they had a turtle. It was kept outside in a small 10, possibly 15 gallon tank with about two inches of brown water, no heat lamp, no natural or artificial light. Granted, winter in Cali isn't snow or anything, but definitely cold. After getting pissed and telling my friend how I felt, I told her I'd like to call animal control or... just take the turtle. She was fine with it as long as she wasn't "involved" and yes, I know stealing is wrong and I do not endorse it, but I won't stand to see this either. Anyway, she let her boyfriend in on the plan to take them, and he was not okay with it. Instead, I called animal control, and they kept in contact with me after visiting the apartment. Turns out there's not one but three turtles in that tiny tank, one larger and two smaller. They gave the owners a turtle care sheet and made them bring them inside, but that's about it. I didn't see the turtles again until about a week ago.
It's now summer, and while that's better than the dead of winter and during part of they day they might even get a bit of sunlight, I see their housing conditions are not any better at all. They're being kept outside all day and night underneath the stairs to my friend's upstairs apartment. You can see the bigger guy in the photo, staring up at me and scraping against the glass. I kid you not, he's asking for help. The little ones you can't see in the picture, but they're there. Now, I have several people that agree with me about taking these turtles. It's obvious the owners do not care and likely don't want them anymore, but instead of trying to find them a new home they're probably waiting for them to die. Little do they know these little guys will likely live 20-30 years with good care...
I also have someone who might be able to take one of the turtles in once he gets his own apartment. I'm in the process of moving out of state and cannot take any more critters (already juggling how to get my rattie and my two bettas over there), otherwise I would.
I suppose I'm going to get a lot of crap for this, but I'm taking those turtles by the end of the week. I won't stand by and watch this anymore, and if animal control can't fix the situation then I will myself before these innocent little guys wither away and die.
My best friend has a neighbor under her apartment that during last winter (2014), I noticed they had a turtle. It was kept outside in a small 10, possibly 15 gallon tank with about two inches of brown water, no heat lamp, no natural or artificial light. Granted, winter in Cali isn't snow or anything, but definitely cold. After getting pissed and telling my friend how I felt, I told her I'd like to call animal control or... just take the turtle. She was fine with it as long as she wasn't "involved" and yes, I know stealing is wrong and I do not endorse it, but I won't stand to see this either. Anyway, she let her boyfriend in on the plan to take them, and he was not okay with it. Instead, I called animal control, and they kept in contact with me after visiting the apartment. Turns out there's not one but three turtles in that tiny tank, one larger and two smaller. They gave the owners a turtle care sheet and made them bring them inside, but that's about it. I didn't see the turtles again until about a week ago.

It's now summer, and while that's better than the dead of winter and during part of they day they might even get a bit of sunlight, I see their housing conditions are not any better at all. They're being kept outside all day and night underneath the stairs to my friend's upstairs apartment. You can see the bigger guy in the photo, staring up at me and scraping against the glass. I kid you not, he's asking for help. The little ones you can't see in the picture, but they're there. Now, I have several people that agree with me about taking these turtles. It's obvious the owners do not care and likely don't want them anymore, but instead of trying to find them a new home they're probably waiting for them to die. Little do they know these little guys will likely live 20-30 years with good care...
I also have someone who might be able to take one of the turtles in once he gets his own apartment. I'm in the process of moving out of state and cannot take any more critters (already juggling how to get my rattie and my two bettas over there), otherwise I would.
I suppose I'm going to get a lot of crap for this, but I'm taking those turtles by the end of the week. I won't stand by and watch this anymore, and if animal control can't fix the situation then I will myself before these innocent little guys wither away and die.