Hundreds of endangered desert tortoises to be euthanized

[sorraia]

why not adopt them out???? it's STUPID to just kill them.

Or hey...let them go in their natural habitat!? What a thought!

According to the article they don't make good pets so the plan is to release the ones that are healthy enough to survive on their own, and euth the ones that are sick or too feeble to survive in the wild.

I understand euthanizing those animals who are sick and cannot be released, but at the same time if they can be treated and there is a potential adopter willing to pay for the medical expenses, why not adopt them out?

The article does say they don't make good pets, BUT one also must ask who wrote it and why they are being called "not good" pets? Is it a typical media release, where anything outside of the standard dog or cat isn't a good pet? Or is there another reason? The article also says many of the turtles at that center are pets who were given up.

Personally... I think tortoises make fine pets, for those people who are looking for the traits that species possesses. I have a tortoise, who was captive born and adopted through the local Turtle and Tortoise Club. I can't take her for a walk, I can't brush her, don't need to trim her nails, and there isn't much interaction, but I can watch her plod around and eat, and I enjoy that. It's like watching birds in your yard. That isn't for everyone, and that's ok, but to call it "not good" pet because it isn't like your standard dog or cat is a little short sighted, in my personal opinion.

I do think there are alternative options besides euthanizing hundreds of tortoises. I also have a sneaky suspicion that "hundreds" may turn into far more than that. I'm also concerned about what's going to happen to wild tortoises and natural tortoise habitat.