A 50-pound turtle was found in a park in San Antonio, Texas, after digging into its human’s yard.
According to a Facebook message from the San Antonio City Animal protection Services (San Antonio ACS), people walking in the park found the large turtle on August 7. They knew that because there are no native turtles that reach this size, he was probably someone’s pet. They reported the 3-1-1, and animal rights activists Huron and Alvarado arrived at the scene shortly after.
They estimated that the turtle weighed more than 50 pounds, and the two agents had to remove the turtle, Walter, from the trail and return it to their vehicle. They then took it to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc.
“Although we don’t know if Walter has been released or if he has simply moved away from home, we are glad that he is receiving the love and care he deserves now that he is at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. thanks to the nice residents who called, our animal rights activists and Wildlife Rescue for helping this turtle in need!”
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation told PEOPLE that the turtle was claimed by its human the next day.
Turtles, like all other animals, are not designed to entertain people. While we may think that having a pet as a pet is naturally useful in our warm and happy homes, it is not always the matter. Turtles are perfectly happy to live in the wild and should not be bred in captivity or sold in inexpensive containers.
Taking these animals into the wild to keep them as pets leads to extinction, which not only eliminates one species, but also endangers others by disrupting delicate ecosystems. Exotic animals belong to nature.
If there were no demand for exotic animals, there would be no trade in exotic animals. So, if you agree that it is cruel to keep exotic animals as pets, do not support it either. Do not buy from pet stores or dealers. Leave nature in nature.
