What happens if your pet tortoise escapes?
What happens if you find a non-native tortoise?
Both scenarios happen more often than you might think.
We get contacted a few dozen times each year by people who have lost their beloved pet tortoise, and also by folks who find non-native tortoises and are clueless about what to do next.
So, here’s what you should do if your pet tortoise escapes:
1. Start looking for it right away!
2. Let your neighbors, local social media groups, veterinarian offices, DNR, shelters, and rescue organizations know. These are the places where people who find non-native tortoises usually go for advice. Don’t forget to post a photo and a description of your pet.
3. Don’t hold your breath and think your pet will magically return on its own.
4. When you find it make sure it can never escape again.
Now, let’s talk about what to do if you find a non-native tortoise:
1. Take a photo and note down exactly where you found it.
2. If you can, try to keep the tortoise safe until you can find its owner. If you can’t, stay with it while you search for someone who can.
3. Reach out to your neighbors, local social media groups, veterinarian offices, DNR, shelters, and rescue organizations. Ask them if anyone has called looking for an escaped pet. Finding the real owner can be tricky. There are a lot of missing tortoises, and everyone who’s lost a pet will want to know if it’s theirs. Plus, some people can be dishonest and try to claim a tortoise that doesn’t belong to them. Don’t even think about offering to rehome the tortoise or surrender a tortoise to a rescue until you’re sure the owner can’t be found. When our rescue posts about a found tortoise, we usually say something like: Found non-native tortoise in the TookieDoo area of Elgin. Please contact us with proof of ownership.
4. Most owners know within a few hours if their pet is missing and start searching right away.
A few weeks ago, we posted about tortoise enclosures and will put the link in the comments. Remember, owning exotic pets comes with a big responsibility. If you can’t provide the right housing and care, it’s best to avoid bringing a non-native species into your home.
When non-native pets escape or are released into the wild, it can cause serious harm to the environment. And if they’re not found, they often face horrific deaths and/or injuries. It’s not just about the animal; it’s also very time consuming for rescues and agencies to locate owners or provide emergency care for injured animals.
So, let’s be honest: allowing any pet to escape is negligent. And if it happens multiple times, it’s just plain cruel to an animal that won’t be able to survive on its own.
In South Carolina, it’s unlawful to release any exotic species ‘in the wild,’ whether you mean it or not. So, let’s all do our part to keep our pets safe and happy, and to protect the environment.
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Tortoises at our rescue are not available for adoption. Many of them have had to endure emergency care for injuries and severe neglect, and our wish is for them to never have to go through anything like that again! Tortoises of all ages come to us to retire from the pet trade and live the best life possible. That’s why we call our tortoise division of the rescue Shady Pines Tortoise Village.
If you would like to sponsor a tortoise, send a retirement gift, or contribute to the care of the animals at the rescue , you can do so using
paypal.me/pinetreehillwildlife
VENMO: @PTHWild
Checks: PTH Wildlife, PO Box 1523, Camden, SC 29021
