Can we talk?

Turtle Show

         I saw a horrible video today. I can't believe how I reacted to it. It was about a turtle, a very large turtle who had managed to get a plastic straw stuck up his nostril. He couldn't breathe and was bleeding. I shouldn't have watched. The paragraph underneath was about not dumping your trash or littering.

         I kept expecting the straw to come out. The man's hands were gently pulling it with small pliers, one hand touching the sides of his neck so that he wouldn't withdraw his head. The man kept pulling just a little at a time. The turtle kept jerking his head. Then I realized that's why the man didn't just jerk the whole thing out at once. When the turtle pulled his head up, I could see blood running down off his chin. It looked like he was crying and in pain.

         I burst into tears. I was sobbing out loud, but I kept watching, hoping to see it over, to see him safe and sound. I couldn't take it. I couldn't stop crying out loud. Just remembering is making me cry again.

         I'm not really an animal lover. I hate dog and cat hair. I don't like being licked or having muddy paws on my clothes.But I don't mind hunting for food. I can't stand to see one mistreated. I can't respect a person who mistreats an animal out of anger or meanness or carelessness. No animal needs to be tortured.

         Animals who die because the six pack plastic top got caught around the necks or stuck in their throats are victims of carelessness. This poor turtle was a victim of carelessness. He was suffering because someone was too lazy to properly dispose of his trash.


         Please, please, remember wildlife out in the woods and along roadways and recreational ares. Teach your children to dispose of their trash properly. We're not supposed to leave evidence of our intrusion into their space.