Today it was brought to the worlds attention that http://www.campshorecampground.com/ in Aurora Indiana is throwing it’s yearly festival where they take wild caught turtles and torture them to death for entertainment by literally slamming them down on a cement slab, and then getting both hands around the neck and pulling until death occurs. Crowds stand by cheering as the horror ensues. The video and petition have gone viral.

All day activists have made phone calls and sent emails trying to get someone to care.  Can you do your part?

Sign the Petitions First:

http://www.change.org/petitions/petition-stop-torturing-and-killing-little-turtles-for-entertainment

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-snapperfest?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=autopublish

Here is the information for the Fish and Wildlife Officer in Indianapolis where there is one officer.

Phone: 317-346-7014 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            317-346-7014      end_of_the_skype_highlighting  Email: MidwestNews@fws.gov

Here is a letter put together by Stacey

Dear (name)

To Whom It Concerns,

I am writing today to share my disturbance regarding the event “Snapperfest”. As established by footage and first-hand accounts, this event is characterized by the methodical torture of turtles in a demonstration of “entertainment”. During this event, a turtle is systematically brutalized, his tail and neck are pulled and ripped and his body is slammed repeatedly to the ground, all while he is fully conscious, subjecting him to what can only be considered excruciating pain and prolonged suffering and fear. Furthermore, according to Indiana law, this event should be classified as illegal considering that turtles are vertebrate animals.

Indiana law stipulates:

A person having a vertebrate animal in the person’s custody who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally abandons or neglects the animal commits cruelty to an animal, a Class B misdemeanor. A person who knowingly or intentionally purchases or possesses an animal for the purpose of using the animal in an animal fighting contest commits a Class A misdemeanor. However, a person who knowingly or intentionally promotes or stages an animal fighting contest, uses an animal in a fighting contest, or attends an animal fighting contest having an animal in the person’s possession commits a Class D felony. Further, a person who knowingly or intentionally beats a vertebrate animal commits cruelty to an animal, a Class A misdemeanor. However, the offense is a Class D felony if the person has a previous, unrelated conviction under this section or the person knowingly or intentionally tortures or mutilates a vertebrate animal.

Intentional Acts

35-46-3-12 Beating vertebrate animal

http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/statestatutes/stusinset.htm

IN ST 35-46-3-.05 – 15; IN ST 36-8-3-18

As such, I, along with a national contingent of concerned citizens, implore upon you to act swiftly and responsibly by using your influence to enact an immediate moratorium on this illegal event, and, until such a time, I feel my only recourse is to promote a boycott of your state with respect to both tourism and commerce. Please provide your voice for others to observe their obligatory duty and responsibility by protecting animals, not sanctioning their torture; your ethical and dutiful gesture of legal authority would serve as an model of civil and community justice.

Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent issue.

NAME

Stacey’s link

http://ourcompass.wordpress.com/2011/08/18/indiana-snapperfest-extreme-cruelty-to-turtles-one-petition-one-sample-letter/