Florida turtles chained with drilled shells rescued

Two turtles were found struggling in a park in Charlotte County, chained together with holes drilled through their shells. This disturbing discovery left many shaking their heads in disbelief.

Alyssa Cusano, who rescued the turtles, described the scene.

"You could barely see them right there, like sticking their heads out of the water, and it looked like they were struggling. So we grabbed the stick and we, like, pulled it out a little bit, and that's when we could see the chain," said Cusano.

The turtles were chained with a padlock.

"It was like somebody had drilled through their shells and locked a chain through it and then tied them around the branch. It looked like they had been tied here purposely," said Cusano.

Cusano expressed her disbelief and concern.

"Turtles chained together? That's awful. Like, who drills through a turtle shell?" said Cusano. "You can't do that to an animal."

Cusano quickly took action, placing the turtles in a laundry basket and rushing them to the Peace River Wildlife Center.

Tricia LaPointe, CEO of the Peace River Wildlife Center, explained the severity of the situation.

"A lot of people think that that shell is just like their house that you used to see on cartoons, that is connected to their body and could cause an infection, which could also lead to death," said LaPointe.

The danger was immediate, according to LaPointe.

"There's no way that those animals would have gotten separated on their own. This would cause continued entanglement," said LaPointe.

The wildlife center team used pliers to free the turtles and treated their injuries.

"They'll be cleaned. They'll assess whether they need antibiotics, you know? They'll look at those holes, and then they're monitored," said LaPointe.

Though unusual, this is not the first case of animal cruelty they have encountered.

"Unfortunately, we have seen this type of animal cruelty before. We're not really sure why," said LaPointe.

Cusano was relieved to hear that the turtles were recovering.

"I love hearing that. I love that they're good now," said Cusano.

LaPointe hopes to release the turtles as soon as possible. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Charlotte County Sheriff's Office are investigating potential fines and criminal penalties in this case.