Is my campus bordering on animal abuse?

[Pastel Tortie]

I’ll try to write a formal complaint because I’ve already tried bio head and bio work study head. I was prompted to post because his care seems to have been getting worse.

Im going to be writing an in depth letter detailing all the issues with the care of animals by the biology department. I’ll be placing them in the mailboxes of the head of the bio department, bio lab supervisor, and department chair. I’ve decided to do it anonymously because I am a member of the department and am afraid of facing any retribution for causing issues, especially those that will cost the school money.

If they do not respond to the letters and fix their animal care, I will go to the dean of arts and science. Thank you for your advice.

You might want to include the chair of the IACUC as well, if you haven't already.
https://www.scranton.edu/academics/provost/research/sub pages/IACUC.shtml
That page also lists the attending veterinarian for the IACUC, so maybe that's another route you can go. In fact, if you can find out who's on that committee without exposing your identity, contact them all.

 

[TammyJ]

Thanks for caring for this very unfortunate tortoise. Some of us just don't get a break in life, eh? It is very hard to look at!!! Keep us posted on your work in progress with this awful situation. It certainly is animal cruelty.

 

[Nia L]

So after writing a letter and giving it to all the faculty in the bio department, it was made very clear that the issue would not be addressed. We have now decided to start a petition as well as extending our advocacy for Bill and Athena with the help of other students. Please sign if you would like to take part.

The world’s platform for change

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www.change.org

 

[Duckster RT]

I’m thankful for your attentive and caring nature. Hopefully they will get better care and properly educated do to you. I make house calls for work. If I see something troubling I try to respectfully bring it to attention.

 

[Nia L]

I’m thankful for your attentive and caring nature. Hopefully they will get better care and properly educated do to you. I make house calls for work. If I see something troubling I try to respectfully bring it to attention.

Thank you. We really wanted to do this with as little trouble as possible. Unfortunately, the response to our letter was that our concerns were ridiculous and they were not going to respond. I was very nervous to get involved, but I have great friends who are willing to support my efforts.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

So after writing a letter and giving it to all the faculty in the bio department, it was made very clear that the issue would not be addressed. We have now decided to start a petition as well as extending our advocacy for Bill and Athena with the help of other students. Please sign if you would like to take part.

The world’s platform for change

Change.org is the world’s largest petition platform, using technology to empower more than 200 million users to create the change they want to see.

www.change.org

Signed, Maybe start a thread with just the petition to get signatures. A lot of people might not see it here.

 

[Crush da Baum]

I signed too.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Hello everyone!

I wanted to post this on here because I feel as though my University is on the verge of animal abuse with their care of our Redfoot tortoise that lives on campus.

Bill is about 30 years old living in 60 gallon glass fish tank. He has a lot of pyramiding because he’s given no calcium supplements and is only fed pellet food. He lives on a sand based substrate without any UVB and is in a crowded hallway where people bother him all day.

I don’t know if I’m overreacting about it, but I can’t help but feel our school’s animal husbandry is abysmal. Unfortunately, they are also in the care of a bearded dragon named Sunny and Athena the Russian tortoise ( who lives in a 20 gallon). Please let me know if I’m overreacting or if my concern is justified. I attached photos of him and his enclosure.


Thank you so much

View attachment 303628View attachment 303629View attachment 303630View attachment 303631View attachment 303632

Oh man, that's MBD

 

[Maggie3fan]

I signed too.

Me too

 

[wellington]

Signed and shared on FB. Also sent to a friend.
Don't stop until the problem has been fixed.

 

[shellcior]

Also keep us posted.
If they don't want to fix the situation we can plaster the internet with their abusive care and they really wouldn't want that.

Areed, I'm chomping at the bit to report these jerks. There is NO reason for animals to be treated this way. NO EXCUSE!!!!!!

 

[JMM]

Better than a petition would be if someone (i.e. possibly from this forum) who is considered an expert (i.e. preferably with the credentials/degrees) wrote a letter to the Dean and Department Chair via email pointing out the issue(s) evident in these photos (include the photos).

 

[DesertGirl]

Exactly.

Ideally, it gets presented in a way that the department thinks it's their own idea to show they're on the forefront of science by demonstrating the new, better way of keeping and raising tortoises.

Gather what background and contextual information you can, in as non-threatening a way as possible. Tailor your approach. Find a way to show that the desired response will benefit the department (added prestige, being on the forefront, instilling greater confidence in their programs).

Wouldn't it be great if they could use this as a teaching tool and get students involved in designing and building new enclosures?

I vote for Pastel Tortie as the new Dean! Great ideas!

 

[JMM]

Funny. But I'm serious--this is a university--they are only going to recognize science and demonstrated expertise validated with appropriate credentials (degrees).

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Better than a petition would be if someone (i.e. possibly from this forum) who is considered an expert (i.e. preferably with the credentials/degrees) wrote a letter to the Dean and Department Chair via email pointing out the issue(s) evident in these photos (include the photos).

Unfortunately, the perceived validity and credibility of an expert is somewhat dependent on the accepted science and professional organizational backing that expert can stand upon. Even the strongest man is severely limited in the weight he can pull or lift without secure footing.

We're not there yet.

Although I will admit to thinking an awful lot lately about how to get us there... ?

 

[g4mobile]

Signed the petition. Thank you for being proactive and trying to help make a change. It’s sad to hear that a Biology department would be so uninformed regarding tortoise care and not be willing to address the concerns.

 

[Tinker27]

Signed x

 

[lightningrob]

The one simple thing they can do is replace the soak dish with a shorter and wider one that he can easily climb into and fit. It's not enough, but will give him some relief until he can be rehoused.

Personally, I feel sorry for tortoises that are enclosed all the time. My red foot is free range, walks around our back yard (with several soak spots) all day and sleeps in his heated deck box at night. I know the consensus on this forum is that it's a bad setup, but I don't have the heart to keep his free spirit locked up.

 

[Agathaade]

Thank you for putting so much effort into this, OP. I cannot fathom why faculty would simply brush you off and not even look into your claims. A science department no less.
I will sign the petition and if you need any help crafting emails that are firm but non-accusatory (the old song and dance), I’m happy to look them over, it’s a kind of communication my job requires me to engage in a lot.

 

[Minority2]

The one simple thing they can do is replace the soak dish with a shorter and wider one that he can easily climb into and fit. It's not enough, but will give him some relief until he can be rehoused.

Personally, I feel sorry for tortoises that are enclosed all the time. My red foot is free range, walks around our back yard (with several soak spots) all day and sleeps in his heated deck box at night. I know the consensus on this forum is that it's a bad setup, but I don't have the heart to keep his free spirit locked up.

Why would anyone say that's a bad setup? Red foots belong outside.