# Finally legal on the tortoise front



## batchick (Apr 4, 2012)

Here in Cape Town you have to have a permit to keep a tortoise, and to get that permit you need to get a signed affidavit of how the tortoise came to be in your possession and have a home inspection. We got Ned in December and have been trying to get legal since then. The inspector finally came round this morning and gave us the all clear. In six weeks we should have the hard copy permit. Doing the right thing can be quite an onerous task.
Found two interesting things from the visit. If we ever need to move Ned, say we move house, we have to get a transport permit as well as a captivity permit. The only time you can move a tortoise from your house without a permit is if you have to take him to the vet, and that's only because you wait fourteen days for a transport permit. 
The other thing was that once you are permitted, the permitting folk may ask you to take on other tortoises in need of a place to stay - the example he gave was if someone moves into an old age home and can no longer look after the tortoise. Have visions of getting late night emergency tortoise rescue calls and being over run by strays and waifs. 
Feels good to be legal at last.


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## Yvonne G (Apr 4, 2012)

Its good to see that they are serious about the indigenous tortoises. But, even so, there is still a lot of poaching and illegal tortoise activities. 

Glad you've finally gotten your permit!


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## Shelly (Apr 4, 2012)

emysemys said:


> Its good to see that they are serious about the indigenous tortoises.



Big cosign on that.


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## ascott (Apr 4, 2012)

FANTASTIC! and how fun it would be to be an authorized stop over for others in need....good job


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## ALDABRAMAN (Apr 4, 2012)




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## Terry Allan Hall (Apr 4, 2012)

Cool!


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