A couple of weeks ago my boyfriend bought me two hatchlings,,, they are healthy looking and adorable i love them. Well, he went back because a friend of ours wanted two as well so, he went up and its getting colder out and only one store down all of canal st had them. He was so excited!! but when he bent down next to them he notice the water was FROZEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! and all the little baby hatchlings were frozen in the water w/ just their lil shells sticking out...we were both horrified.
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TERRIBLE>>>>res in CHINATOWN...canal st
jayskee
Dec 05, 2003 06:26 PM
Replies (2)
Katrina
Dec 05, 2003 07:21 PM
Please consider calling the the Mayor's Action Center at 212-788-9600 and the City Council at 212-788-7100 to complain about this practice. It is illegal to sell a hatchling turtle in the US, unless for "bona fide educational or research purposes", and it is also a violation of NYC health code to sell hatchling turtles. You can also call the health department's Central Complaints Unit at 1-877-692-3647 if the turtles are being sold from a fixed address. You CAN call the police to report a fixed address as well. If you call the police, make sure you get the report number, so that you can check back to see if anything was done (and let us know what you find).
Since there was cruelty involved, please also call the ASPCA's HUMANE LAW ENFORCEMENT at (212) 876-7700, extension 4450 (available 24 hours daily).
Katrina
spycspider
Dec 05, 2003 09:59 PM
Hey,
This isn't old news. They've been at it for years now and I think the business goes in cycles. As long as they have people harassing them and cops coming, they tend to hide them and jack up the prices or not sell them. But then after a few years of inactivity, they figure they won't be bothered so they start selling again. It goes hand in hand with the market for fake Louis Vuittons, watches, and other accessories.
Only way is to keep complaining but I think people have tried it before and the agencies just didn't want to put up with the hassle. Who knows? They may be getting a cut of the deal to not say anything, that's what I figure.
Buying the turtles from the vendors is just another way to maintain their business. So unless everybody stops buying baby turtles, the practice unfortunately won't go away.
Johnny
