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S. 540, The Domestic Pet Turtle Market Access Act of 2007
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Visitor Comments
Torin Monahan, Ph.D.
This is a bad bill. Apart from the health concerns, this bill would guarantee the mistreatment and death of numerous turtles. Caring for red-eared sliders takes a significant amount of work and expense. They require very specific environments of half land and half water, UV lights, and constant filtration of their tanks. Without a doubt, many baby turtles would be given to children ill-equipped to take care of these demanding pets. Moreover, the factory-turtle-farms wherein these certified "salmonella free" turtles would be hatched would undoubtedly be as cruel and inhumane as other factory farms. One should raise the question of why this bill is being introduced now. Which factory-farm pet corporations are giving campaign contributions or other gifts to lawmakers? Who are those lawmakers? And what are the contributions? One would be better off supporting turtle rescue organizations than this bill.
private turtle keeper
The fact of the matter is that there is no more reason to ban the sale of baby turtles than there is any other kind of animal that is currently considered legal and suitable for keeping as a pet.
Feral dogs and cats are harmful to native fauna and animals shelters are literally overrun with strays, most of which end up euthanized. Turtles are no different in that respect, except that most turtles don't get euthanized.
Disease transmission is not unique to turtles either. Virtually any domesticated species can harbor and transmit dangerous diseases to humans if simple, basic hygiene is ignored. Banning baby turtles on that basis is ridiculous.
The responsibility falls upon the owner or the parent if the owner is a minor - period.
The ban has done no justice for turtles OR people. It certainly hasn't prevented anyone who really wants a baby turtle from getting one. All the law has really done is create a terribly negative stigma around turtles in general that is unjustified.
Charles Scott
Tens of thousands of baby turtles are being sold illegally every day. The majority of laws are made for good people ... bad people will find a way to skirt them. The existing law in particular does because MOST baby turtles today are sold (illegally ) at flea markets, on the internet, and at poor quality pet stores; where they don't care about the animal or customer. A large number of these turtles are imported from countries where there are no restrictions on how they are bred or the conditions they are kept.
This law would allow the quality pet dealers; who abide by the existing law, to sell this great little pet the correct way. They would make sure that the turtle goes home with the right nutrition, and environment, and would help educate the consumer.
Milwaukee Turtle
There are many pets that are legal that are difficult to raise, including dogs and cats. A litter box is just as dirty as a dirty turtle tank. Most if not all reptiles that are legal carry salmonella. The turtle farms in the US that are already operating right now have taken massive steps to integrate salmonella-killing equipment into their hatcheries. They are safely and sucessfully exporting millions of turtles per year.
Pet Store Owner
I agree with the previous post made, in that these animals should not be controlled any more than any other pet in the market. Personally I believe that any pet that is sold in a pet store should be properly qualified for it's new owner, meaning that I would never sell a reticulated python to someone living in a loft apartment with their spouse and two children. I think that if the proper questions were asked by the seller before the transaction was made, the buyer should be prepared to be held responsible after the sale is made for any issues that arise concerning their new pet. I also believe that anyone that would make a comment referencing the importation of baby turtles under 3" should do more research since US Fish & Wildlife does not allow baby turtles under the currant 4" law in to the country from outside of the states.