Tortoise Tragedy

[Spoon]

I confiscated a young bells hinged tortoise from the muti market a while back it was seriously dehydrated and they had sawn off the front of the shell just under its head, but with the help of a reputable reptile vet it was nursed back to health and was doing very well. It was then handed over to FreeMe but sadly they couldn't find anywhere to place it because they don't know where it was originally collected from and it can't be relocated just anywhere in case it contaminates the local genepool of hinged tortoises so they're going to have to put it down...

[froot]

they're going to have to put it down...

You're kidding right? There has to be another way.

[Spoon]

they're going to have to put it down...

You're kidding right? There has to be another way.

Apparently not. Sucky beyond belief...

[froot]

Well then nobody must ever take tortoises to Freeme, if they don't know where it's from they'll just off it. It cost this poor tortoise's life for us to work this out. I'm now wondering what other animals face the same predicament when taken to this organisation.

[fredsmith]

so they're going to have to put it down...

Is there no way they'd let you keep it as a "pet"

[Neurotoxic]

thats ill... id get it back. Better a well looked after pet than just putting it down.

[Buck Rogers]

What about if they hand it over to monte casino bird gardens?? I won't voice my opinions about FreeMe here, PM me if you wont my opinion...

[Bushviper]

Tell them you would like to have the animal back and that you have a private zoo which is allowed to accept it as a drop off animal. No more help to Freeme ! ! !

[gaboon69]

What a sad story. Sounds like the little guy has all the odds stacked against him. Any vet who puts that animal down is not acting in its best interest. GET IT BACK MAN.

[Iggy]

Sadly FreeMe, though they do good work, have a policy "if it can't be released it should be destroyed" - however they should never have accepted it in the first place without advising you of that?. If you can get the paperwork through I'm sure I can organise a permit for us to keep it here at the reptile park if no one else can, but I'm sure there are plenty of places in Gauteng that would be able to home it.

[Buck Rogers]

Speak to John at Monte Casino Bird Gardens (I think he is Mamba 1 on this forum) and he can possibly help you out! But trying to get it back on your own from the FreeMe vampires is not advisable, they will not release it to you! BUT ACT NOW!!!!

[Gaboon Adder]

Hi Guys,

That is typical of any so called "animal rescue" organizations.Fauna and Flora,SPCA etc.

Let me tell you a story.My Uncle handed over a Brown House Snake and Aurora House snake to one of the top Herpatologists in the world.The snakes were in peoples yards and they phoned my uncle instead of killing them.Fauna and Flora rocked up at my uncle's place and told him the neighbours should rather kill the snakes than call my uncle to release them or hand them over to professionals ie: Herpatologists to preserve the species.F&F said he doesn't have a transporting permit to catch snakes and release them in the veld.You are also not allowed to pick up a dead snake without a permit.They of course fined my uncle but he did knock the arrogant one out.

You know that SPCA kill more animals in a year than the amount of Jews killed by Hitler.Fauna and Flora,SPCA,FreeMe,Hitler all the same.

[Rob]

What was the outcome of the tortoise story? I dont recall reading this post.
Can someone tell me why the muti traders cut off the front portion of the shell? The agony!

[Buck Rogers]

Fauna and Flora rocked up at my uncle's place and told him the neighbours should rather kill the snakes than call my uncle to release them or hand them over to professionals ie: Herpatologists to preserve the species.

This is not as uncommon as you think, according to Gauteng legislation (don't know how it works in other provinces) if you find a rhinkals in your garden legally you are NOT allowed to catch it and release it else where if you do not have a catch and release permit, you are then required to either leave it or kill it which is great if you have young children and pets.

Good for you local government you guys rock

[Mamba no 5]

that is just sad why cant you just keep the thing i mean its not like its in pain.
GET IT BACK