RANDY'S TURTLE RESCUE
Randy's Turtle Rescue is a Non-Profit Foundation. Because the majority of our activity has been in Colorado and Oklahoma we were Incorporated as a Non-Profit Foundation in both States.
As of April 15, 2016 we have discontinued operations in CO. In late 2015 we relocated to Oklahoma.
We are dedicated to educating individuals as to the need to recognize the God given rights of turtles to exist in nature without being subjected to the inhumanities of mankind.
Our primary mission is to prevent turtles from becoming "road kill".
We provide sanctuary for rescued turtles until they are relocated to permanent homes.
Our stated purposes are:
1. Preventing cruelty to turtles.
2. Education of the public as to how to protect wild turtles from injury and abuse.
3. Studying the habits and needs of wild turtles for scientific purposes.
4. Rescuing turtles from roadways.
5. Accepting surrendered turtles from individuals who can no longer or are
no longer willing to care for turtles they have possessed as pets.
6. Obtaining treatment for injuries of injured turtles.
7. Providing sanctuary and care for turtles until such time as they can be returned to the wild.
When return to the wild is not in the best interest of the turtle they will be provided care and sanctuary
until such time as they can be adopted out to a permanent care giver.
A substantial part of the activities of Randy's Turtle Rescue shall be activities that meet the requirements of
section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
While we have not yet completed the process to be recognized as a 501(c)3, we are in the process.
Since MAN has deemed it necessary to build our migratory paths across the natural migratory paths of Turtles,
with total disregard their natural entitlement to the safe use of their migratory paths.
We at RTRFC have undertaken the rescue of as many of them as we encounter.
It is our understanding that Box Turtles establish a territory and live out their lives in that small territory about 5 acres.
We have been told that prior to establishing their own territory that young turtles move in one direction and do not back track.
We have seen some indications to suggest this is true. Little Girl, the young turtle pictured above when rescued, was traveling toward the Northeast, when the turtle was picked up it was placed in a container on the seat of the vehicle, she went to the Northeast corner of the container. Every time we changed direction she would move to the new Northeast corner of the container.
We also understand that if you relocate a Box Turtle, that is taken from the wild and release it some distance away, in the wild, that the Turtle may spend years finding its way "home". For this reason, when we rescue box turtles from roadways we do not release them to the wild, but keep them in a sanctuary until we find them a suitable place to live in captivity.
Our long term goal was to create at least two "preserves", one in southern Colorado and one near Duncan, OK.
These preserves were be constructed so as to allow rescued turtles to roam free in a natural environment,
surrounded by a barrier and fence that will prevent their attempts to return to their original territory, thus preventing them from returning to the roadway and possibly becoming "road kill". Additionally these environments would limit predators, while providing a natural environment for rescued turtles and facilities to care for injured turtles.
This lofty and worthwhile goal will take financial resources and a couple pieces of property.
As of December 2015, the two primary board members retired and all three board members relocated
to Duncan, OK. We are not renewing our Colorado Non-Profit and will only provide services to Colorado when
a friend or family member in Colorado is able to take possession of a "surrender" turtle and bring it to us.
When we adopt out box turtles we only adopt them out two or more at a time to one family. In observing the one hundred plus box turtles we have rescued over the past years we have discovered that even though most people say that they are not social animals (mostly because they lay their eggs and leave, meaning the hatchlings are left on their own) box turtles do interact and for the most part their interaction is positive. We rescued one old female Western Box Turtle from a pet store she was shell, skin and bones and very near dying, with serious eye infections (from lack of Vitamin "A"). She was placed in a tank next to two Desert Box Turtles (one male, one female) the interaction was interesting. We believe the interaction was beneficial to her full recovery.
Oklahoma Filing Number: 2112180154 - Randy's Turtle Rescue Foundation
LUCKY (Lucky to be alive)
Lucky is a Male Red Eared Slider. Lucky was found on the shoulder of Highway 7 in Oklahoma.
He had been "clipped" by a vehicle and was upside down, in shock, with fresh crack across his tail.
Lucky has been living in an tank with two "road rescue" female red eared sliders for several years. Lucky is quite active and very healthy. Lucky was returned to the wild in May 2009.
2006 Turtle Season Rescues
The 2006 Turtle Rescue Season began for Randy's Turtle Rescue with the rescue of "LG or Little Girl" from the middle of Highway 283, about 15 miles South of Arnett, Ok. She is a Western Box Turtle.
C.B.
(short for Cardboard Box)
CB is a male Desert Box Turtle. C.B. was rescued when he was abandoned by his former owner during the process of their being evicted. At the time he came to us he was very sick, he had apparently not been fed or watered for several weeks and had been kept in the dark for at least ten days. His skin was all white and he was extremely dehydrated. About six years later C.B. has a comfortable environment that he shares with his companion Petsy. Petsy is a female who looks like a cross between a Desert and a Western Box Turtle, she is a rescue from a Petco store where she was surrendered by a good samaritan, who found her wandering in his driveway. We suspect she was a lost pet, since there were no postings in the area regarding her being missing she was turned over to us..
E-Mail Us.
Toto aka "Toto No Toe"
Toto was picked up out of the middle of the highway in Kansas.
If you look closely at her left front foot you will see that it is somewhat deformed. When she was rescued about three years prior to this picture she had no toes on this foot, due to what appeared to be a predator bite. She is now growing claws back on her damaged foot.
Toto is being held by Abby Lopez,
one of our rescue volunteers.
Those wishing to support our Turtle Rescue Operations may send contributions.
Make checks payable to: Randy Glenn for RTRF
Mail your support to: Randy's Turtle Rescue 205 W. Maple Ave. Duncan, OK 73533
At this time we are not recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization.
We have prepared the paperwork but have not filed due to the $300 fee associated with filing.
Contributions of all size help to support our operations.
Some causes are worth supporting even without being deductible. If you do not itemize your deductions, it does not matter!
Due to limited funding we only rescued 7 turtles in 2015 and 2 thus far in 2016.
