Other Turtle Discussion :: RES Abuse @ CHINA TOWN (Los Angeles)

[cam722]

I highly doubt that NYC police officers have the time to go through Chinatown measuring whether the turtles they are selling are under 4 inches. Actually I don't think they even know what a RES is, or if they even know the 4 inch law. It's never enforced. Only animals that are endangered will get any attention. RES are so abundant that the government wouldn't give a damn if a thousand of them died. Plus, Chinatown is filled with larger problems than turtles. I.E. illegal videos...

haha.. I think there are more important things going on in NYC than illegal videos.. umm let's see.. gangs, drugs, homeless people.. just to name a few..

[steve]

I've never seen police arrest a bootleg vendor. NYC Chinatown is very close to city hall, and has a couple of major bridges and tunnel. Suffice it to say, most cops are there for the traffic than an actual crack down of these "minor" illegal activities. They either don't know it's illegal (I think they know), they don't care or they don't want to bother with it.

[CV Cream]

I bought my res in Chinatown, Chicago... The conditions were similer except they were hatchlings. There were way over 100 in a little rubbermaid container; filled to the top with lil turtles. I saw the guy he had them in a separte container, and then just carelessly "poured" them into that sml rubbermaid... terrible And there was no water... just turtle on top of turtle on top of turtle...

Glad i saved pebbles from that

[Ozzyy]

i heard rumors about some of the vendors in china town eating the baby res they dont sell.......if that is true.. id rather they sell them all.. then klet them become food

[kikicool]

RESowner34 is right about that. I go there often, and all the police care about are knock offs and illegal DVDs, massage parlors... (of course, I admit, I go there for the knock offs, too...). These stores, one after another, have the same stuff, mostly (unless they take you to their secret stash, holed up in a locked closet in an apartment building a block or two away, then you're GOOD TO GO! But you must ask yourself afterwards, why you would be willing to take this risk for a FAKE christian dior bag. But I digress.). I would say every other store has a tank or two with little RES's in them. RIHGT in the front. Nobody cares.

Before I get yelled at for shopping there, I don't buy from the places with the tanks. Moving on, my point is, they aren't really trying to hide it. I think that they probably DO say they are selling them for food. I was thinking about this recently, and about what may work:

I'm going to contact PETA (offices in NY). I'm going to talk to them about this, and see if they won't pay for a billboard over chinatown showing what a full grown RES looks like, and some basic facts bulleted (how much it costs to care for one, how long they live. etc). If they won't then I can at LEAST make lots of flyers and put them up, hand them out to tourists. Hey, if we can get a group of peeps that takes turns doing this, surely it will have some effect. No?

[Ozzyy]

possibly... the only problem is.... i live in maryland

[kikicool]

LOVE the quote, Brandon. Can I just tell you that before I got my turts, my neices used to walk around saying that ALL the time? I never saw the show (was it a show? movie?) myself.

I went to college in MD! No chinatown there, is there... Well then we'll have to depend on those of us who DO live near it. Like ole me.

[FanOfTurts]

I agree with RESowner......I admit....that's how I got Delgada and Beltran, they're my babies!!! Luckily, I bought them during the summer. I did visit Chinatown (NYC) a couple of months ago and it gets me angry to see 8-12 turtles in a small (not even a gallon) plastic container on top of eachother (no filter, no water heater, no basking area, no basking light.....NO NOTHING!!). I strongly believe that it IS animal cruelty!!! That day, I've seen those little guys (not Beltran and Delgada) with fungal infections (white blotches on the shells) and respitory infections (lopsided swimming). One lady tried to sell me one of them and I refused and I told her kindly on the conditions of those turtles....she basically ignored me and said "I'll just put them away."

NEVER AGAIN WILL I PURCHASE A TURTLE FROM CHINATOWN!! = )

[Jayqualin]

I hate people who thinks they know everything. It makes me feel like starting a strike or something.

[Buslady]

I have been to that store there in LA..and it's EEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWw not to mention hot and stuffy and just gross

[lisajonathan00]

I can at least vouch for my pet store. The had only 2 4 inch in a huge tank. They had lots of water and a basking dock, plusthe heat light and uvb light. I was very impressed with them.

I can't believe how some people can be so irresponisble and put those poor little turtles through hell by not supplying them a good safe warm environment. The nerve of people to get away with these things act like they are just better and can get away with everything. There has to be a way to stop these people from putting there lives in danger. Even if they were sold for FOOD(blah whatever), they should still supply them with the correct place to live regardless of what they are for.

[DaddySkittles]

I hate people who thinks they know everything. It makes me feel like starting a strike or something.

I know what you mean all the pet store owners around where I live think they know everything about turts and for the result my mom trusts the pet store owners more then this place....well...I least I got dad on my side.... Like the pet owners said only to fill up the water a few inches until they get really big and stuff but that didn't stop me

[industrial_girl_2000]

Good for you, Daddyskittles!!! You GO!!!!

[Kazari24]

I contacted the TSA for Chinatown and I am going to work on the FDA. Sadly the guy from the TSA that's much you can do but I am going to do what I can for them in Chinatown. My little baby turtle that I bought from Chinatown died in 7 months and I don't want his death to go in vain. I did everything I could for him. I think nothing is going to be done until not just one person but a LOT of people start to raise their voices. I'll go to ChinaTown this summer in July and if I see any of them. I will find someone to contact. I will threaten them.

[Kazari24]

I am writing a letter to the FDA per my contact from the TSA. May I use your pics and story for another piece of evidence? I can show you a copy of the letter before I mail it out.