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Death Comes in Tiny Packages If Legislators Get Their Way American Tortoise Rescue Strongly Opposes S. 1082 Passed By the Senate Malibu, Calif. - June 15, 2007 - After more than 30 years of absence from the marketplace, a bill has passed the Senate that would allow Louisiana turtle farmers to again sell hatchling turtles under four inches, according to American Tortoise Rescue, the nation's leading turtle and tortoise advocacy group. Typically the turtles hatched are red eared sliders. ATR founder Susan Tellem and a registered nurse said, "We are stunned that U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La, would endanger the lives of children and adults by allowing the sale of these turtles. The ban has been in place for very good reasons, including the fact that these wild animals carry a variety of diseases that can severely debilitate children, the aged and people with immune diseases. The most common disease is Salmonella which can be fatal." Tellem said that there is good reason that the law requires signs be posted in pet shops warning people who buy reptiles that they can make buyers sick. Children often put turtles and/or their dirty fingers from the turtle's water in their mouths. Salmonellosis, typically called salmonella, is an infection that mimics the flu causing severe cramps, diarrhea, fever, and muscle aches. According to the CDC, there are 40,000 cases a year and 60 people die from salmonella. Tellem says that people don't even realize they got the disease from their turtles. The farmers told lawmakers that "scientists at Louisiana State University developed the Siebling method to make turtles and turtle eggs free from the disease." According to Sen. Landrieu's web site, the amendment requires "that every turtle sold be treated using the Siebling or similar technique. The amendment also requires that states in which turtles are raised issue a certificate of sanitization signed by a federally-certified veterinarian to assure that the turtles have been treated for salmonella poisoning." "This is patently ridiculous," Tellem says. "If this is the case, why does the bill also say that turtle sellers would be required to provide the buyer with a disclosure explaining the potential dangers associated with the pet turtle?" While the turtle might be treated at the site which Tellem very much doubts as thousands are moved through a turtle farm, once they get in with other turtles that come from Mexico, Texas or elsewhere or sit in dirty water during transport, they are right back where they started. And salmonella is not the only disease that turtles carry. In fact, Tellem says, laboratory tests have even detected tuberculosis and other animal to human diseases in turtles. "The last time I looked at the Los Angeles County Acute Communicable Disease Control web site, there were nine documented cases of salmonellosis and one case of salmonella meningitis so far this year directly attributed to turtles," said Tellem. The meningitis case was a nine-month-old baby. Even though they currently are not legal to sell, millions of hatchlings are finding their way to pet stores, web sites, swap meets, mercados, carnivals as prizes, on street corners and at reptile shows. Tellem says some were even raffled off at an event in an exclusive neighborhood recently. "Despite the legislation currently on the table reflecting the Democrats' concern about illegal immigrants, a great majority of non English speaking people are buying these small turtles for their kids at Santee Street in Los Angeles and Asian live food markets, as well as throughout the U.S. They have no idea what time bomb is ticking in that plastic container the kids are holding." Tellem points out that most people think that hatchlings stay tiny and cute. Of the 10 percent that manage to live despite the poor care they receive from the people who purchase them, most will grow to 6 - 10 inches and live 20 years or more. "People have no idea what they are getting into. That's precisely why streams and lakes and ponds are full of sliders," said Tellem. "People can't stand changing the water and buying bigger tanks as the turtles grow so they dump them illegally in waterways." When the hatchlings are purtchased most people do not know that they have to have a sustained temperature over 70 degrees in the water to be able to eat. So they don't eat and they die. "My husband calls them the "flushables,'" said Tellem. In addition to disease issues, there are humane ones as well. According to Tellem, "Turtles suffer injuries and stress during transportation from farm to pet store where they are piled on top of each other in cramped conditions. Eventually, far from a safe outdoor habitat, they are offered for sale without instructions for care or the mandated reptile warning signage." Tellem says the turtles lucky enough to survive, often live out the rest of their lives in small indoor tanks instead of outside, a miserable existence for a wild creature. Concerned citizens are urged to contact Senator Landrieu opposing S. 1082 by emailing her public relations contact at HYPERLINK "mailto:scott_Schneider@landrieu.senate.gov" scott_Schneider@landrieu.senate.gov or call (202)224-5824 and FAX (202) 224-9735. Tellem and her husband Marshall Thompson founded the nonprofit rescue in 1990 in order to provide a safe haven for these creatures who find themselves exposed to the whims of the pet trade, unscrupulous reptile breeders and street vendors. The couple have saved more than 3,000 turtles and tortoises since then. Located in Malibu, Calif., but with an international membership, ATR offers permanent sanctuary to injured, abandoned and lost tortoises, as well as temporary housing for those confiscated by law enforcement. Foundlings that are ill, neglected or abused and are not appropriate for adoption remain in the care of ATR for the remainder of their lives. For questions, adoption forms, information sheets and other information, write American Tortoise Rescue at 23852 Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 928, Malibu, CA 90265, FAX (310) 479-4114 or e-mail info@tortoise.com or visit www.tortoise.com. |
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