General Care Discussion :: turtle abuse - serious issue!

[theartbook35]

Let's just say there was a huge domestic dispute between my mother and her boyfriend, who is now her ex-boyfriend.

Ex-boy put our turtles in the microwave. My mother got them out in time, she said they're alive, and I have not seen them and do not know what condition they are in, or if they are even still alive. He claimed that he is going to give them to his son, and if that is true, I am going to try to buy them off of his son to protect them if they survive.

Is there something that I can do to make him go down for this? It does qualify as animal abuse, but my mother was the only one who saw the action, I wasn't home. The SPCA is in the back of my mind, but, that's not the only option right?

Has anyone ever been in this situation before? What would you do?

Basically someone harmed my family yesterday.

Edit: I just spoke to my step-sister over the phone, and she said she's going to see if her dad has the turtles, and then she'll ask for them. She's not going to say I want them, only that she wants them. He'll most likely give them to her, since of all four of his kids she's the only one he really pays attention to. It'll make him look nice too, to someone who doesn't know him well, that he's giving his daughter a present, and he'll buy into that crap.

BTW, I'm 22 years old, so there is PLENTY that I have legal access to, to defend myself and my family and pets.

[Daniel3507]

talk to the police about it. see if there is anything they can do

[theartbook35]

talk to the police about it. see if there is anything they can do

Good point. My mother is going to by the end of the week file a police report anyways, maybe we can add the abusive behavior on.

[TheComputerGremlin]

The best you can do is file a report and then it becomes he-said-she-said. I hate to say it, but it would be most credible if the turtle(s) had died, but hopefully they are alive and well. Some states have no tolerance laws, others don't care. I don't know about Connecticut, but you may also want to check on the laws before you file a report. Make sure it is legal to have the turtles, and if they are the small <4" turtles, remember they are illegal to purchase, so make sure you don't mention that or anything ...

Was the microwave actually on with them in there? Like even for a second? Microwave radiation is seriously dangerous, and it's possible that the turtles will not become ill for awhile, but they could develop tumors or cancer from just a short exposure. I don't want to worry you, but you might want to get them to a vet soon.

[Linus]

I couldn't find any law about it being illegal to own RES in Conneticut, just wood turtles.

In Conneticut, Animal Cruelty is Felony with a 5,000 dollar fine with a max. of 5 years of jail time.

http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/cruelty_laws.php

[SpotsMama]

And Humane Society. In some locals, SPCA is the main org for animal cruelty cases, and in some places, it's Humane Society.

It sounds monstrous. There's no rational reason to do something like that - it's pure sadistic sickness. A person that would do that is dangerous.

[Linus]

I was just thinking about this and I just wanted to say how serious this is. This person needs to go to jail!

[Opus]

Im sorry but [!!!]????this ex boyfreid guy really needs to e delt with!

[VanishingReality]

File a police report ASAP!, if you can get a hold of the police officer in control of animal cases (each city has at least one).

Take pictures (lots) of anything you believe would be able to prove damage. If you have anything the turtles were on in the microwave, their fluids on the microwave, anything. DO NOT wash the microwave spinny thing if they were placed directly on it.

Give all this evidence to the officer in charge, you should probably have at least two other copies if you need to file with the SPCA. Sometimes if you have a big enough shelter they will do their own investigations and are cross-deputized.

I am not sure about CT's exact verbage (if you want to I can see if I can find their law books)but this does seem like it should satisfy a magistrate into getting a PPO or warrant to further get evidence to build a case.

This is the exact escalation that they warn about in the academy.

[megcornell]

Even if you can't get it established as animal abuse make sure you report it. Especially if your mom is already going to the police about him- if anything it helps show how unstable and dangerous he is.

I had an incident when I was younger where my brother abused the family dog. While no charges ever came from it, reporting it did add to his already lengthy "file" and I ended up getting a restraining order against him and the animal charges were part of the basis for that order.

The most important thing is that you and your family are protected from this "person," not that the turtles get justice.

[theartbook35]

The best you can do is file a report and then it becomes he-said-she-said. I hate to say it, but it would be most credible if the turtle(s) had died, but hopefully they are alive and well. Some states have no tolerance laws, others don't care. I don't know about Connecticut, but you may also want to check on the laws before you file a report. Make sure it is legal to have the turtles, and if they are the small <4" turtles, remember they are illegal to purchase, so make sure you don't mention that or anything ...

Was the microwave actually on with them in there? Like even for a second? Microwave radiation is seriously dangerous, and it's possible that the turtles will not become ill for awhile, but they could develop tumors or cancer from just a short exposure. I don't want to worry you, but you might want to get them to a vet soon.

Awesome advice, thank you.

Yeah, he turned it on, according to my mother.

That was my first thought, about the radiation. I have a feeling they will be okay, after all, their bodies are designed to absorb the sun's rays... Regardless, I'm going to watch their behavior very closely and if they act different besides normal stress behaviors, off to the vet they go. I don't think my step-brothers really know how to take care of reptiles, and if they do die, I want them to be in the care of somebody who can do everything possible before hand. At least they'll be with someone who loves them dearly.

I am going to find out from my step-sister which of my bro's got the turtles, and then I will buy them.

I know they were alive on Monday, because one of the cans of food is gone. I just hope they've been fed properly since then.

Megcornell- Yeah, he's a sick mothereffer. He got the turtles before I could get them. I didn't know what he had done when he told me he was giving them to one of his sons. In any case, even if I did I actually would not have grabbed them, because then he'd be in that apartment with our cats, alone, and I would have done something to trigger his anger all over again. (Touching my cats would've provoked me too, and you should've seen me Sunday night and Monday morning, I was out for blood and looking for him to give me a reason to pummel him into the pavement). My mother included what happened to them on the restraining order. Right now the restraining order says that the apartment is my mother's and he can't go back there for the next two weeks. My mom was smart, she shut off all the utilities, cable, internet and phone, and come May 1st, those utilities roll back over to the landlord, and she'll have to pay for them. So, haha, beyotch.

[theartbook35]

Also, you said that he was going to give them to his son, can he do that? Does he have legal ownership of them? Go to the police before he can take them. If he can stick them in a microwave, who knows what his son can do. Keep him out of the house for now. As far as you know, he's a danger to your family.

Theorectically speaking, he DOESN'T have ownership of them. It states on the restraining order that he cannot harm or take animals/pets in my mother's care. My mother has always lived with me, was head of household, and she took care of the turtle alongside me. Marc may have bought them, but he got them from a flea market, so he probably does not have a receipt and probably can't prove that he was the one who purchased them. I'm the one who fed them, washed them, bought tank supplies and accessories for them, not him. I have TONS of pictures on both of my phones of them, like of me holding them in my hand, them in my tank (i still have the tank and their stuff for the tank, too), and so on. Regardless, they are most likely in one of my bros' care right now, which means that I can buy them back if I have to. I might just do that, it's technically quicker than going through the whole legal process.

[theartbook35]

I couldn't find any law about it being illegal to own RES in Conneticut, just wood turtles.

In Conneticut, Animal Cruelty is Felony with a 5,000 dollar fine with a max. of 5 years of jail time.

http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/cruelty_laws.php

I like the sound of the 5 grand fine and 5 years jail time... Not to be vindictive but that would be a really fun way to eff his world up legally and fairly... I shouldn't say that but he messed with three of my family members.

[insane]

im soo glad to hear theres kind people like you out there that loves animals (especially turtles) and you also have very good ideas! those are the things i would have done for now (except the violent part, if it was me, i would do something because i love my turtle)

please keep us updated! and goodluck, buying the turtles back is a really good idea if you cant talk your brother and sister into giving them for free, and please take them to the vet ASAP if you notice anything out of the ordinary! im worried, good luck with everything

[theartbook35]

Thank you so much. Your words are very sweet.

I hope my sister can get them back for me. I do want to buy them from her, and get a receipt, that way, if he tries to say they are his, or get them back, I'll have proof of ownership. He's so vindictive I'd expect him to try to haul me into court or something. In a court's eyes, you can't take gifts back after they are given to a person.

Marc (the one who hurt them) worships her the most out of all of his kids, and I expect him to buy into such a magnanimous thing, like give little turtles to his daughter as a gift. I'm about willing to play almost any non-harmful card I can at this point.