American Tortoise Rescue Year End Report 2020
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FROM American Tortoise Resue
February 2021

Not one turtle or tortoise had to see a vet this year as they were an exceptionally healthy group, even the ones that arrived after being mistreated or just plain no longer wanted.

tortoise
Beautiful Betty

We are pleased to bring you our 2020 Year End Report. A lot happened this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Building our house and turtle hospital after the terrible Woolsey fire took on some speed toward the end of 2020 after a sluggish start and despite Covid.

Not one turtle or tortoise had to see a vet this year as they were an exceptionally healthy group, even the ones that arrived after being mistreated or just plain no longer wanted. We are excited to tell you what was accomplished with your help during 2020. Questions are always welcome, so email us at [email protected]; read on!

American Tortoise Rescue 2020 Year End Report

We ended a very important 30th year of advocacy for turtles and tortoises in 2020 with a determination to bring new eyes and ears to the plight of many of these incredible animals that are suffering. The cruel pet trade, rampant smuggling and the domestic and international live food markets have taken their toll on populations everywhere.

Our new nonprofit campaign “Save Us!” in the Wall Street Journal (see sample ad below) has brought many new donors and helped to educate a very important target of men and women business leaders about the importance of saving turtles and tortoises through donations and education. A bellwether about our own existence on this planet, turtles remind us that as one of the world’s oldest creatures, if they cease to exist…well, you get my point. Check out many ways to help at GIVE!

give graphic with tortoise

Our GoFundMe campaign to Close Live Food Markets in the U.S. and Internationally - click Live Food Markets - reached its goal, so thank you! U.S. live food markets, along with the one where COVID was believed to originated in China, continue to trade in animals, dead and alive, blatantly or through the back door. Our campaign is still open for donations as we will be working to educate the new administration about the Preventing Future Pandemics Act of 2020, S. 4749/H.R. 8433, introduced last year in the Senate by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Cory Booker, D-N.J., and in the House by Reps. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., and Fred Upton, R-Mich. It ends all import, export and sales of certain live wildlife for the primary purpose of human consumption and medicine in the United States. The bills would also build support for international efforts to halt the trade around the world.

Wonderful donations to the American Tortoise Rescue Emergency Preparedness Fund continue to come in. We still are working to reach our goal of $15,000 and happy to say that we are over two-thirds of the way there! We have three key purchases to make – a solar generator (we have that one ready to purchase thanks to the Malibu Foundation), a used two horse trailer and a used pick-up for towing the turtles in an evacuation. The last two could be used or new, of course, so if you have a friend at a car dealership or horse trailer company who may have a soft spot for turtles and tortoises, please let them know our need. Check out the fundraiser here: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/protecting-our-sanctuary-during-wildfires

Last, but not least, is the rebuilding of our turtle hospital after the Woolsey fire destroyed it and our home. Your generosity to the Turtle Hospital Building Fund was amazing! We are excited about the progress we have made thanks to your generosity and are hoping to have it ready to go within the next six weeks. Because we went modular, we are one of the first homes that we be finished after the devastating fire which destroyed more than 650 homes, with our neighborhood suffering the brunt of it. Stay tuned for a move-in photo/video!

We are also gearing up to spread the word about how to save turtles and tortoises on May 23rd by sponsoring World Turtle Day® 2021, now in its 21st year. It was “shellebrated” throughout the globe in 2020, and brought the message of “Save Us” to countries like the UK and Africa and Australia and Japan.

As an all-volunteer organization, donations go directly to the turtles and tortoises in our care and not salaries or overhead. We have a special fund for those who cannot afford medical care for their ill or injured shelled pets, which has already covered veterinary expenses for a number of animals.

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