Is my campus bordering on animal abuse?

[Nia L]

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

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Dumb question... What department(s) or program(s) are these guys kept in?

 

[Yvonne G]

These pictures would be an excellent addition to an article entitled, "How NOT to care for your redfooted tortoises."

1. Enclosure too small
2. Sand substrate is an impaction risk and an eye irritation
3. "Fruity Pebbles" is an ok diet as long as fresh fruit and greens and animal protein are also included
4. Redfooted tortoises require a humid environment
5. Screen tops block out the majority of the UVB rays needed for strong shells and bones
6. High-sided and too small waterer is impossible for the tortoise to climb into to soak

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Your not overreacting. That tortoise is suffering from MBD. You can tell by the way the Shell appears to be caving in at the top.

 

[Minority2]

Another example of how some tortoises are so hardy that they're able to survive bad to horrible living conditions for such long durations despite possibly having to constantly deal with the pain associated with symptoms from malnutrition and unstable heating temperatures. All the animals in your school's husbandry program should deserve to live the rest of their lives with new, caring owners. They've suffered enough.

I suggest printing a ton of up to date tortoise care sheets. Tape them all around the affected animal enclosures and the specific department that oversees these animals along with your name and information, explaining to them how outdated their practices are or simply leaving the web address to this forum if you wish to remain anonymous.

That tortoise looks so dry. I'm surprised no one has attempted to free/steal these animals away.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Wonder when this poor Redfoot last had a good long soak...or proper food?

Terrible. Is this East Stroudsburg University? Shame on them...

 

[Nia L]

Dumb question... What department(s) or program(s) are these guys kept in?

He’s in our biology department and they truly don’t like to hear criticism or concern about how they take care of their animals. I had to go to them and tell them that Athena’s beak was very overgrown. They said they knew and they were handling it

 

[Tom]

All of those animals are being housed horribly wrong. The pyramiding has nothing to do with calcium. Its because the tortoise is being kept in the wrong sort of environment (dry).

 

[Nia L]

Wonder when this poor Redfoot last had a good long soak...or proper food?

Terrible. Is this East Stroudsburg University? Shame on them...

No it’s at the University of Scranton

 

[Minority2]

He’s in our biology department and they truly don’t like to hear criticism or concern about how they take care of their animals. I had to go to them and tell them that Athena’s beak was very overgrown. They said they knew and they were handling it

You can also try complaining to:
1. The head of the biology department.
2. The incidents and complaint department.
3. The campus whistle blower.
4. The dean.

 

[Maro2Bear]

No it’s at the University of Scranton

Aagh. Ok.

Biology Department
Janice Voltzow, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Biology
(570) 941-4378
[email protected]

We can start with Dr V!

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Aagh. Ok.

Biology Department
Janice Voltzow, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Biology
(570) 941-4378
[email protected]

We can start with Dr V!

With a little luck, maybe you can make friends with Dr. V's office staff. If you can find someone sympathetic within the department (whether it's an administrative assistant or an instructor that everybody likes), they may be able to help tailor the approach so you're more likely to get the resolution you're after.

 

[Minority2]

Aagh. Ok.

Biology Department
Janice Voltzow, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Biology
(570) 941-4378
[email protected]

We can start with Dr V!

I had just composed a short response detailing how wrong and harmful some of things the biology department animal caretakers had or were doing and was seconds away from sending it when I thought to myself... why would the head of their biology department care about what some alumnus from another University, located in another state, with a different email address than the one from their own university, thinks about what they're doing to their animals. That person is probably going to think they were being trolled.

I ultimately decided not to send one in. It's up to you @Nia L.

 

[LisaLew]

Oh that’s so sad. Breaks my heart. I hope this gets resolved.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

I had just composed a short response detailing how wrong and harmful some of things the biology department animal caretakers had or were doing and was seconds away from sending it when I thought to myself... why would the head of their biology department care about what some alumnus from another University, located in another state, with a different email address than the one from their own university, thinks about what they're doing to their animals. That person is probably going to think they were being trolled.

I ultimately decided not to send one in. It's up to you @Nia L.

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?

 

[Nia L]

You can also try complaining to:
1. The head of the biology department.
2. The incidents and complaint department.
3. The campus whistle blower.
4. The dean.

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.

I had just composed a short response detailing how wrong and harmful some of things the biology department animal caretakers had or were doing and was seconds away from sending it when I thought to myself... why would the head of their biology department care about what some alumnus from another University, located in another state, with a different email address than the one from their own university, thinks about what they're doing to their animals. That person is probably going to think they were being trolled.

I ultimately decided not to send one in. It's up to you @Nia L.

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.

 

[wellington]

Absolutely it is abuse and neglect. Please talk to someone and get that poor tort out of there.
If you don't want to do it, give me the info and I will.

 

[wellington]

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.

 

[Minority2]

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.

Check if your university has an animal rights club or a similar club for that and explain your situation. Have them do the work for you. Let them stir the pot and cause awareness while you guide them from afar. That way your hands are clean. The "young adults" are easy to trick these days.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Holy crap is that hard to look at...
That poor RF needs to be removed immediately