Santee Alley in Downtown Los Angeles Needs Clean Up
During its existence, American Tortoise Rescue (ATR), a national nonprofit
based in Malibu, Calif., has received complaints from its members and from
citizens about the illegal sale of illegal hatchling water turtles, mostly
sliders, at street fairs, swap meets, pet stores and fairs. The majority of the
time, these sales are within the Latino or Asian communities. The calls come
into our 800 number (800-938-3553) or to our Web site www.tortoise.com from Los
Angeles and other large metropolitan areas like Chicago, Miami and New York
City.
Each time we receive a call, no matter from which state, we contact the local
law enforcement agencies and animal control serving those areas. In addition, we
place calls and send letters and e-mails to U.S. Fish & Wildlife, the Department
of Fish & Game or the Department of Natural Resources serving that
community. We
ask the people who complain to us by FAX, email or phone to also complain to
these same agencies.
To date, we receive few callbacks, faxes or emails in response to our complaints
from the agencies we believe should protect our small hatchling turtles. When we
do manage to snag the attention of an officer, they say that they have more
pressing problems or that they will look into it. We usually do not get a call
back.
The last call we received was from a visibly distraught young man who had just
returned from Santee Alley, a local Mercado in Los Angeles that stretches for
blocks. It was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. We took our
still and video cameras to Santee Alley on a sunny Sunday to document the
complaints. Coincidently, we found out that our local animal control and police
department had planned to jointly shut down the sales and confiscate the animals
a couple of years ago, but rumor had it that it was deemed "discriminatory" to
do so.
On our tour of the Alley, we clearly documented the neglect of animals and their
illegal sale in violation of a number of city, state and federal laws. In
addition, there was blatant disregard of law enforcement and animal control to
take a stand. Many of you have probably seen this sight - tiny turtles in
plastic containers with a fake palm trees and some food in a bag that looks like
puffed rice (what is that stuff?).
These turtles are sold to unknowing and uneducated buyers who usually kill them
in a matter of days out of ignorance. In addition to turtles, there were many
birds, iguanas, mice, gerbils and other animals being sold as well. Once we
edited our footage and developed our film, we had new ammunition. We went to the
Los Angeles Animal Commission to present our findings. We asked the Commission
to begin an inquiry into how this has been allowed to continue despite numerous
complaints. We set a deadline. Either the animals, including the illegal
turtles, are removed from Santee Alley and other city streets and stores on a
permanent basis by the first of the year, or we will conduct a full-blown
demonstration. The date would be kept under wraps. The event would include many
animal groups members and concerned citizens, and we will invite national and
local media to take an in-depth look at these blatant violations.
We are happy to say that the Commission responded favorably to our presentation,
assigning a large group of County and City staff to evaluate the situation and
begin to educate and arrest the offenders. We held a joint meeting deciding how
the confiscations would be handled and how the animals would be cared for. There
were some rumblings that the turtles would be destroyed, but by working with a
City veterinarian, that nasty situation has been rectified. It is planned that
the animals will be held according to law for a short time and then dispersed to
the various rescues for adoption.
American Tortoise Rescue is proud to have taken a leadership stand in this
continuing "cruelty to animals" issue. We constantly have small slider
hatchlings entering our rescue from all over the country from people who are
afraid of getting salmonella or of being arrested, as many as 300 at a time.
Thanks to our members, we are able to place them in good homes where ponds await
them when they are big enough. We ask you to join the ranks of ATR and act
locally with your swap meets and Mercados to rid these cruel animals sales form
your neighborhoods no matter where they are in the United States. For help or to
get copies of our flyer in English and Spanish, send an email to
info@tortoise.com.
AMERICAN TORTOISE RESCUE
UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION INTO ILLEGAL ANIMAL SALES
IN SANTEE ALLEY, LOS ANGELES
The Problem
In what is known as the Los Angeles City garment district, Santee Alley is home
to hundreds of open air shops and stalls that sell clothes, notions, fabric,
house wares and pet animals. Located in an area straddling two City Council
Districts, it is a largely unregulated shopping experience. Dozens of vendors
routinely sell tiny turtles, small iguanas, parrots and other birds, rabbits,
rodents, fish and exotic spiders. Children of the vendors assist in the selling
and handling of reptiles and provide no consumer information about the care of
these animals or public health risks associated with potential salmonella and
e-coli exposure to reptiles. Animals are stored in the sun in tiny enclosures,
fed inappropriate food, if fed at all, and die by the hundreds every day due to
poor nutrition, storage and handling.
Objectives
The purpose of this video project is to inform the Los Angeles City council
members, the public and law enforcement about the deplorable and illegal
conditions of these animals and the Federally prohibited sale of turtles under a
four-inch carapace length.
Solution
MTA Films Entertainment, Inc. in conjunction with ATR developed a four-minute
undercover investigative video, narrated by ATR founder, Susan Tellem. In it,
illegal turtles were bought and their unhealthy condition revealed.
"We were able to document the inhumane treatment of these tiny animals and also
reveal their sellers' indifference to their public health risk they represent.
Also, we showed the complete lack of law enforcement and passing of the buck by
City officials," Tellem said.
Results
The four-minute undercover video has been shown to animal regulation, ATR
members and Los Angeles City Council and has forced them to deal with this
public health emergency. Today, thanks to this video and the energetic lobbying
of ATR, law enforcement routinely sweeps the Santee Alley for illegal animal
sales. According to the officer in charge, they have made three arrests, issued
four citations and impounded more than 500 animals. They noted a definite
reduction in the activity of illegal animal sales and will continue enforcement.
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