27 year old male Sulcata needs rescuing from PA pet store, he is not for sale

[ZenHerper]

Did you ask them about the tortoise or try to talk to them to see what the story is here? It clearly is inhumane, but I’m curious to know what they had to say. I looked at their website and it says “Now, in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States and numerous shelters, we have become a rescue center offering dogs, cats, puppies and kittens for adoption. Saving animals from cruelty, neglect and homelessness one new family at a time has become our key mission.” The photo you shared just doesn’t make sense when they say their mission to save animals from cruelty and neglect. Very sad ?

Tells you everything you need to know about the large animal "advocate" organizations in the U.S.. Here's a post from the PA SPCA in 2014:

https://www.facebook.com/pennsylvaniaspca/posts/825656794144879

 

[Peachie]

Tells you everything you need to know about the large animal "advocate" organizations in the U.S.. Here's a post from the PA SPCA in 2014:

https://www.facebook.com/pennsylvaniaspca/posts/825656794144879

Oh great! I contacted PETA. "Unnecessary suffering" of animals is illegal. Harry fits that description.

 

[ZenHerper]

PETA is a useless, hypocritical group.

Shocking Photos: PETA's Secret Slaughter of Kittens, Puppies

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-j-winograd/peta-kills-puppies-kittens_b_2979220.html" target="_hplink"><img alt="2013-04-02-ScreenShot20130402at4.13.12PM.png" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2013-04-02-ScreenShot20130402at4.13.12PM.png" width="300" height="74" /></a>People...

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Pets Plus in PA is owned by Mark Arabia:

mark Mark Arabia - Pres - Pets Plus | LinkedIn

View mark Mark Arabia’s profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional community. mark has 1 job listed on their profile. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover mark’s connections and jobs at similar companies.

www.linkedin.com

 

[Yvonne G]

This isn't going to be a popular response, but I'm going to say it anyway.

That tortoise has been living that way for over 25 years. Leave him alone. It's all he knows and he's totally happy. If anything try to encourage them to add some sort of substrate and feed fresh greens along with the manufactured diet.

If you've run off a copy of a care sheet, one about ADULT sulcatas, not babies, then the rest is up to the animal's keeper. You've done all you can.

 

[wellington]

Oh great! I contacted PETA. "Unnecessary suffering" of animals is illegal. Harry fits that description.

Don't contact PETA, they are animal abusers themselves. If they had their way, we wouldn't be allowed to have any kind of animal and most would have already gone extinct.

 

[wellington]

This isn't going to be a popular response, but I'm going to say it anyway.

That tortoise has been living that way for over 25 years. Leave him alone. It's all he knows and he's totally happy. If anything try to encourage them to add some sort of substrate and feed fresh greens along with the manufactured diet.

If you've run off a copy of a care sheet, one about ADULT sulcatas, not babies, then the rest is up to the animal's keeper. You've done all you can.

You are right, that's not a popular response or shouldn't be. Ignoring animal neglect or abuse in itself is animal neglect or abuse! Shame on you!
Everything that can be done, should be, and then let it fall as it will!

 

[ZenHerper]

This isn't going to be a popular response, but I'm going to say it anyway.

That tortoise has been living that way for over 25 years. Leave him alone. It's all he knows and he's totally happy. If anything try to encourage them to add some sort of substrate and feed fresh greens along with the manufactured diet.

If you've run off a copy of a care sheet, one about ADULT sulcatas, not babies, then the rest is up to the animal's keeper. You've done all you can.

Yeah, I mean, pursuing this in an aggressive way (showing up everyday to argue, contacting local TV stations, local politicians, wildlife & animal control offices) can leave an animal with a lot of loose ends...

Advocates for better care are banned from the premises because they've become a nuisance?

Will they just take it home and put it in similar conditions? Remember: most care information makes this set up "in bounds".

Will a radical attention-seeking group steal it...make it a poster-critter for their money-making machine...then gas it?

Will it be confiscated...and destroyed?

What I'm saying is that a campaign to improve the animals situation has to be done carefully and thoughtfully. Would someone be willing to approach the owner with an offer to run a GoFundM* campaign to pay for an upgraded enclosure and more healthful supplies? Then you'd have to price everything out and write up the campaign...and manage the campaign...keep track of the funds and administer them within the guidelines of the funding site's bylaws, and according to federal, state, and local laws about fund-raising and -management...

There's a lot more than going off on someone because, Helping...

 

[wellington]

Yeah, I mean, pursuing this in an aggressive way (showing up everyday to argue, contacting local TV stations, local politicians, wildlife & animal control offices) can leave an animal with a lot of loose ends...

Advocates for better care are banned from the premises because they've become a nuisance?

Will they just take it home and put it in similar conditions? Remember: most care information makes this set up "in bounds".

Will a radical attention-seeking group steal it...make it a poster-critter for their money-making machine...then gas it?

Will it be confiscated...and destroyed?

What I'm saying is that a campaign to improve the animals situation has to be done carefully and thoughtfully. Would someone be willing to approach the owner with an offer to run a GoFundM* campaign to pay for an upgraded enclosure and more healthful supplies? Then you'd have to price everything out and write up the campaign...and manage the campaign...keep track of the funds and administer them within the guidelines of the funding site's bylaws, and according to federal, state, and local laws about fund-raising and -management...

There's a lot more than going off on someone because, Helping...

Totally agree. Approaching this in a friendly helpful way is the best way to start. Keep in mind, that some changes may be made, and then as new employees, managers, etc, come and go, the care may go backwards again. I have seen this in a couple stores that I keep watch on. Also must give time for changes to be made. A day or even a week isn't enough for major changes. Also be sure you know the facts and that you yourself is doing the best for the animals you own. If not make your own changes too.
I'm not into taking a pet away from someone unless it's seriously being abused or neglected. However, if changes aren't made, after friendly approaches, then all means are open game.
If the animal could speak for itself, would it say it was happy with its life and home or would it ask for help and a better life!

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

A male sulcate at Pets Plus in Fairless Hills, PA is not for sale. He is essentially a prisoner. The Bucks County SPCA supports removing him from this situation. PA Law and American Tortoise Rescue believes that the tortoise is ok in this enclosure. I don't know how the sulcata got to the store nor how long its been there. Photos and video will be forwarded to a vet. Go to r/sulcata for photos and videos. I may need public support to remove him from his prison.

Im betting 50%+ of peoples enclosures on this site dont live up to the standards.. will you go after everyone here also ?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Oh great! I contacted PETA. "Unnecessary suffering" of animals is illegal. Harry fits that description.

Please don't get Peta involved.

 

[Yvonne G]

You are right, that's not a popular response or shouldn't be. Ignoring animal neglect or abuse in itself is animal neglect or abuse! Shame on you!
Everything that can be done, should be, and then let it fall as it will!

He's not being neglected. He's fed and watered and cleaned up after. There are humans living in much worse conditions.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I'm thinkin it's not regularly that I agree with Yvonne. However, when I looked at the picture. It's bare but the tort doesn't look bad. one thing I learned from Dr. Pol...handicapped animals don't know they're handicapped, because that's all they know. When I first moved here I had a lot more box turtles so they were in a different enclosure, the first turtle to escape was the blind one. Then I separated my pets from rescues, and in the new pen the only turtle to escape was 3 legged. So while that tort should be kept in a different/better way...the tortoise himself does not know that.

 

[wellington]

I'm thinkin it's not regularly that I agree with Yvonne. However, when I looked at the picture. It's bare but the tort doesn't look bad. one thing I learned from Dr. Pol...handicapped animals don't know they're handicapped, because that's all they know. When I first moved here I had a lot more box turtles so they were in a different enclosure, the first turtle to escape was the blind one. Then I separated my pets from rescues, and in the new pen the only turtle to escape was 3 legged. So while that tort should be kept in a different/better way...the tortoise himself does not know that.

So because animals, a lot of animals, not just tortoises, don't know better, they shouldn't have better? That's absolutely wrong!
If this enclosure is just while he's in the store, that would be one thing. Which is why I stated in a post to get all the facts. If it's the only home he ever sees, then that is abuse! Hell, we recommend a lot more for our members tortoises.

 

[wellington]

He's not being neglected. He's fed and watered and cleaned up after. There are humans living in much worse conditions.

Humans living in worse conditions are their own fault! There are places they can go to get help. Where do the animals get to go for help? Us, humans with hearts that speak up for them!

 

[Peachie]

PETA is a useless, hypocritical group.

Shocking Photos: PETA's Secret Slaughter of Kittens, Puppies

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-j-winograd/peta-kills-puppies-kittens_b_2979220.html" target="_hplink"><img alt="2013-04-02-ScreenShot20130402at4.13.12PM.png" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2013-04-02-ScreenShot20130402at4.13.12PM.png" width="300" height="74" /></a>People...

www.huffpost.com

Pets Plus in PA is owned by Mark Arabia:

mark Mark Arabia - Pres - Pets Plus | LinkedIn

View mark Mark Arabia’s profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional community. mark has 1 job listed on their profile. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover mark’s connections and jobs at similar companies.

www.linkedin.com

Thanks. I am not on LinkedIn. Can you send me his phone number please?

 

[Peachie]

Humans living in worse conditions are their own fault! There are places they can go to get help. Where do the animals get to go for help? Us, humans with hearts that speak up for them!

And you think you are right by bringing in the way humans live? You are out of your mind! Please go away.

 

[Peachie]

And you think you are right by bringing in the way humans live? You are out of your mind! Please go away.

That response was intended for Yvonne G. Sorry

 

[ZenHerper]

Thanks. I am not on LinkedIn. Can you send me his phone number please?

No.

 

[Peachie]

This isn't going to be a popular response, but I'm going to say it anyway.

That tortoise has been living that way for over 25 years. Leave him alone. It's all he knows and he's totally happy. If anything try to encourage them to add some sort of substrate and feed fresh greens along with the manufactured diet.

If you've run off a copy of a care sheet, one about ADULT sulcatas, not babies, then the rest is up to the animal's keeper. You've done all you can.

This tortoise is young! It was at least 50 years of a good life.

 

[Peachie]

Totally agree. Approaching this in a friendly helpful way is the best way to start. Keep in mind, that some changes may be made, and then as new employees, managers, etc, come and go, the care may go backwards again. I have seen this in a couple stores that I keep watch on. Also must give time for changes to be made. A day or even a week isn't enough for major changes. Also be sure you know the facts and that you yourself is doing the best for the animals you own. If not make your own changes too.
I'm not into taking a pet away from someone unless it's seriously being abused or neglected. However, if changes aren't made, after friendly approaches, then all means are open game.
If the animal could speak for itself, would it say it was happy with its life and home or would it ask for help and a better life!

Harry has had people call the SPCA on his behalf since 2014. The Pet Plus is totally negligent.