Tortoise Importation (Graphic)

[CERV78misc]

I have a rehomed tortoise of unknown origin who is loved and cared for. I am deeply against taking any animals from the wild for a shallow, mercenary and uneducated pet trade. I am also against a lot of the trade within the country via petshops. These animals should not have evolved over thousands of years just to be wiped out by one of natures most cruel beasts ever...humans beings!

[Hmach4r]

These animals were put on this earth for a reason, and this is not the reason

[Mikok1234]

THIS ONE TIME I PUT A TORTOISE IN MY ANUS.

[TortoisePG]

Really!!!! - how very imaginative of you. You obviously have way too much spare time on your hands. It's a shame you don't use your spare time more constructively:-(

[CERV78misc]

@Mikok1234 Clearly you had your brain removed from the area before performing this sex act on yourself. I'm sure it went down extremely well at mardi gras so swings and roundabouts eh!

[catperson10]

this is so sad they still do that even in california you ship baby turtles i wanted to cry

[salmonella4everyone]

:(

[james090500]

OMG that is so sad just because their animals it dosen't mean they are any different! how would you like to stuffed in a box with your wrotting friends!!??

[shebalucky]

GODS creatures, ALL of them were entrusted to us for care and preservation. What a tragic thing that more human don't have the heart, souls and spirit to realize this. We must begin to make and enforce laws that will stop all creatures from exploitation, and any form of cruelty against GODS nature and Mother Earth.

Be Blessed! Stay Blessed!

Peace, Love and Light ;-)

[CrazyRabidPony]

It would be better if these animals were bathed and fed before shipment. And shipped in clean crates with a lot less tortoises, with plenty of room to move around and a heat source to keep them warm.

[sueykins]

@CrazyRabidPony

It would be much better if these poor creatures weren't transported all those miles at all... That is why the Tortoise Protection Group exists to stamp out the imports and the inhumanity of it all...

[ShellShock1999]

Kinda feel like an ass getting mine at Petco...

[Bajamug]

@ShellShock1999

You must be realistic, sure many people suggest getting tortoises from top quality breeders but the people that make these suggestions seem to forget that those breeders can't keep up with demand and/or are not in close proximity to the buyer.

MOST animal in the pet trade are neglected at some point before their trip to your home.

[ERNY161]

1:56 it looks like my tortoise enclosure

[rrredzzz]

these people deserve nothing less than a bullet to the face, these are not human beings.

[animaguy35]

OH MY GOD  0_0 im so heart broken

[kendraiscoolio]

i love torts & turts..they are my favorite animal...this makes me sad everytime i watch it.

[hamzaalbenni]

about 6 months ago i brought a herman tortoise from a rep store and i picked her cuz she was the nicest one there when i got her home she was happy and still is but she has a small chip in her shell and shes from slovenia reading on the internet i think she might have been wild caught and cuz of her shell sent here like theses ones but she seems okay but i wont know till after the 3 yr mark i got a russian he seems okay and a margined witch the margined is captive breed

[rhinogek]

They are defenseless. All they have is a big shell that doesn't protect them much. People have guns, knives, explosives, ect. and even can kill with their bare hands. Such innocent defenseless creatures... ROT IN HELL SELLERS, ROT IN HELL!

[djsabre84]

this is why you only get ur reps from reputable breeders, not off a pet store

[beautifuljoe1313]

The large "chain" pet stores in the US claim their Russian tortoises are captive bred, but they look like wild-caught, imported tortoises. There is a difference in appearance between the two. Do a LOT of research before getting a pet.

[1solisfamily]

Kassamut; Angelo here, don't misunderstand me. I am not comparing traffickers of reptiles to traffickers of human beings. BOTH these examples are demonstrations of human evil. Of course human trafficking is much worst but it is evil as is reptile trafficking and is, yet, another example that is a proven symptom of our sickness.

[1solisfamily]

Such friendly creatures being treated so harshly. What the hell is wrong with people? It's like Puppy Mills, people don't want to know about them, they might feel obligated to actually do something about the problem? They can't have that,

[ksammut]

there are human beings trafficked in ways worse than this. more over, they are forced into a life of prostitution or simply sold as sex slaves. This video suddenly doesnt seem so graphic. Come on there are far worse problems on earth to worry about than illegal tortoise importation.

[1solisfamily]

Do you really think that the video was only about tortoise trafficking? In my mind I see humanity becoming more and more calloused, more and more evil. Like Back Yard Breeders or people who fight dogs, it all becomes a family tradition because children see and mimick this behavior. There ARE worse problems but things like this are a symptom of humanities sickness.

Angelo Mysterioso

[ksammut]

i would think that trafficking humans is a far worse symptom. evidently i am wrong as shown by the minus one next to my comment. sure human beings are evil, yet you choose to care more about a reptile than a fellow human being. which goes to show how even people who think theyre good cant really give a shit

[macaronisaurus12]

Just because there's worse problems out there doesn't mean this still isn't a problem...

[1solisfamily]

I just addressed your last statement, it should clarify things.

[beautifuljoe1313]

And what are YOU doing about human trafficking? What can I, an "average Joe" do about it? It's easier to stop the trade in wild-caught animals - don't buy them, and ask friends not to buy them!  I doubt those that are "buying" humans are as easy to disuade.

[ksammut]

i see your point

[Salobatera]

paz... vida.

[konabirdmm]

That's so horrible. We've just found out that our Uromastyx was wild caught and imported, he's not doing too well, but we've treated him for parasites and for his dehydration - he's now starting to eat a little, but he's still very underweight. Don't know why there aren't better measures to ensure that people can't do this anymore!

[jalpern718]

that is messed up

[BIGREDJEEP09]

THATS SO FUCKED

[bthealmighty]

sad sad :(

[littlelyera]

I saw a tv show that said that the turlte popularity roze becuase of mutant nija turtle ,but ppl just used to throw them into lake when they got bored

[littlelyera]

inst its illegal now to transport them , that why they are so expensive right?

[beautifuljoe1313]

Illegal where, and what kind?

[cabbageyay]

D*:

[gekperson]

this is bull i agree with paulsawawall

[ogyy345]

I honestly cried watching this; I find it really upsetting and what makes it worse is when I showed my friends on msn; they said it was as bad cause it not like cats and dogs. Why! do people think just because tortoise are reptiles they cant feel pain, and they dont have emotions?

[paulsawawall]

the sad part is theres more than enuf cb tortises for the pet trade but people just want a cheaper or rarer tortise that will be unhealthy or even die! I hate that stuff like this is still happening.

[tortoisecrap]

it would be my pleasure to kill these sellers. the power of my punch depends on how many tortoises theyve killed

[adrisvraka]

Animal lovers ROCK!Animal abusers suck and should die!I have a tortoise its name is Lenni.I have 3 snails there names are Edes Cukor and Szella.I also have 2 hermat crabs there names are Star and Bobby and I have 1 cat its name is Olie.I wish people would not be sooooo stupid to hury animals.I love animals and plants.And if they would hurt my turtle or any turtle or ANY animal they WILL DIE!Very sad video.But good thank you for showing this.5 stars

[brittallstar08]

i hoped somebody got sent to prison in those trades

[tailorj08]

kill the people that hurt animals....kill them and feed their bodies to the pigs

[VgirlAi]

Very sad! Hi my dear friend!

[zombieslayer92]

this is sad...needs to stop!!

[kimkendall]

like everybody else said animal abuse needs to be stoped now!

[kittie118]

all animal abuse needs to be stopped

[cvisbell]

i am glad that this is finally getting out in the open, all animal abuse needs to be stopped

[aviandy]

I was especially gratified to see the identification of the ILLEGAL trade as the culprit. I certainly support captive breeding, if you check my videos you can see my CBB leopard tortoise. We must support the responsible keeping of animals, be they reptiles, mammals, arachnids, etc.

If you are in the U.S.A. be sure to check Viperkeeper's video about the proposed ban on pythons and boids. This is real! Don't sit quietly by, contact the government and be heard!

[shootingpegstar]

stay away from my babie :O see my channel

[nyjennybee12]

Oh my goodness...thanks for educating me...I never knew these things occurred...that is so sad.

[lilRadRidinHood]

i am horrified. i will sign the petition; but i have a question. when my mom-in-law moved to a house in Los Angeles area, a tortoise was already living in her yard. she planted an organic garden for him and 20 yrs.later, i want to know if a zoo will take GOOD care of him when she passes. i don't think setting him free is the answer!

[beautifuljoe1313]

Try the local chapter of the California Turtle and Trotoise Club, who propably has an adoptions program in place to rehome animals like this.

[BADTimmyD]

im srry but if you stop the trade then people cant own them, yes there are some people who sell wild but what about captive breeders, i own many captive breed reptiles, i believe people should stop buying wild caught and milled "farmed" animals, if every one would educate them selves, and study the hobby this wouldnt happen

[Janicemarie129]

this is such a sad video. So many people are inhumane.

[TortoisePG]

Please see "About this Video" for details on how to help. Thank You for taking the time to view our video.

[kipluck]

This is such a sad video. I signed the petition, though, it being UK based I am not a sure a signature of some girl in Utah, USA will matter but if NUMBERS do... yeah. I am pretty sure my boy Bratanik, a Russian Tortoise, was wild caught. I adopted him after he had literally been left outside a pet shop in a cardboard box, with shellrot and various undernourishment problems.This video makes me cry to see his cousins stacked up like lifeless rocks.

[Saur]

Humans are the most vile creatures on this planet, the unspeakable acts I've witnessed here and on other videos have had a marked effect on me.

[exhibitrans]

/cont.

It may seem cruel & harsh, but if you buy one of these poor imported creatures from a pet shop, you MIGHT save that individual, but you will condemn countless others to the horrors depicted in this video. Walk on by, shed a tear for that poor creature and pray for its rapid release from this evil world.

[exhibitrans]

/cont.

As for the perpetrators of this unbelievable evil, I cannot find words in the English language terrible enough to describe my complete and utter despair that such specimens can exist in the Human Race. Make no mistake, Human they are.

PLEASE ONLY BUY A TORTOISE IF IT IS CERTIFIED AS UK CAPTIVE BRED.

[exhibitrans]

This barbaric trade should have ceased years ago when the UK became a full signatory to CITES. The fact that it continues to this day is a damning indictment of our government's failure to honour its commitments to the convention.

This trade must stop, and must stop NOW.

The import of ALL tortoises must be outlawed, and the penalties for smuggling must be severe.

cont./

[florida12255]

How awful and this is just the tip of the iceburg.

It needs to be stopped NOW!

[CaptainRaja]

Human beings are the most cruel creatures on this earth.

Unless severe punishment of death is inflicted on the sellers and buyers this type of sickening trade will continue.

These people both sellers and buyers, kilers and eaters  alike do not deserve to live on this earth.

[ellenhawk]

The people who run this foul trade in animals are truly evil. I sure hope there is a hell where these bastards will suffer for eternity.

Who says humans are the highest order of creature?

[ellenhawk]

I am weeping. Who are these foul and evil people on both sides of this filty and cruel trade. I surely hope there is a hell, and may these bastards be cursed to be there forever.

The world wide animal trade legal and illegal has convinced me that humans are not the highest order of living creatures... only the greediest and clever with gadgets.

[Lunachick722]

Please sign the petition and help put a stop to this horror.

[neesan1]

WTF is wrong with these people, Havent they any compassion ?

No amount of money is worth this king of suffering !

Neesan .