ONTARIO'S TURTLE HOSPITAL

ONTARIO'S TURTLE HOSPITAL

Did you know Ontario has a Turtle Hospital?

Many people are unaware of Ontario's turtle hospital. As concerned citizens, each of us plays a crucial role in aiding injured turtles we encounter during our travels. By simply making a phone call, we can make a significant difference. After reading this article, your role becomes even more vital. Share this information with your family, friends, and associates, and encourage them to do the same. Together, we can ensure more turtles receive the help they need.

If you travel the roads in rural communities, cottage country, or the outskirts of urban communities from April to October, turtle season in Ontario, you may encounter a turtle crossing the road or a turtle struck by a motor vehicle. This article pertains to those times you encounter an injured turtle and what you can do to help the turtle get medical treatment and increase the turtle's chances of survival. 

TURTLE HOSPITAL

The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) is home to Ontario's 'turtle hospital.' It is licensed under the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry (MNRF) to treat, rehabilitate and release native Ontario turtles. OTCC is Ontario's only wildlife rehabilitation center dedicated to providing medical and rehabilitative care to Ontario turtles. The OTCC provides medical care for turtles at 'no charge' and has turtle taxi volunteers to assist with transportation from anywhere in Ontario should you not be able to drive the turtle to the OTCC.

As the only turtle hospital accredited by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, the OTCC's impact extends beyond its own walls. It plays a pivotal role in supporting other rehabilitation centers that may not have veterinarians on staff. The OTCC's collaboration with these centers, providing consultations and acting as a surgical referral center, ensures that as many turtles as possible receive the care they need in Ontario. This partnership gives us hope for the future of turtle conservation in our province.

The OTCC facility, located at 2785 Television Road in Peterborough, is a state-of-the-art center where injured turtles, disturbed nests, and turtles in distress are brought for treatment. They routinely admit injured turtles, accidentally disturbed turtles nests, and/or turtles in distress across Ontario. Once treated and rehabilitated, the turtles are released back into their natural habitat at the point of origin, where they hope to live a long life and continue to reproduce for many decades. Getting in touch with the OTCC, no matter where an injured or turtle is in distress, helps to ensure the best possible care for the turtle and increases its chances of survival.

INJURED TURTLES

If you encounter an injured turtle, 'no matter where you are located or maybe visiting Ontario, ' please call the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre at 705-741-5000 when you are with the turtle. The sooner an injured turtle gets medical attention, the better the chances of the turtle surviving their injuries. 

When you encounter an injured turtle, it's crucial not to leave it behind. Female turtles may be carrying eggs, and leaving them vulnerable near the road increases the risk of further harm from vehicles, predators, or the elements. By taking the initiative to help, you're showing care and responsibility towards this vulnerable species.

The OTCC's trained staff will assess the turtle concern you have called about and determine the best course of action. If a turtle needs to be admitted to the OTCC, it is always appreciated if you can drive the injured turtle to Peterborough. If you are not able to, there is a 'Turtle Taxi,' and a ride will be arranged via their network of 'Taxi Turtle' volunteers. OTCC is always looking for volunteers should you be interested in helping the turtles this way during turtle season. 

HOURS

The hours of operation vary throughout the year. Winter Hospital Hours are 9 am to 5 pm, 7 days per week. The Education Centre and Gift Shop are currently closed while the new facility is in the final stages of construction—call ahead to ensure they are not closed for a tour. 

Spring/Summer Hours: As of May 1st, the OTCC is open 8:00 am—8:00 pm, 7 days a week. Due to the volume of turtles admitted during turtle season, injured turtles need to be admitted by 7:00 pm each day unless instructed otherwise. 

TURTLE TRANSPORT

If you find an injured turtle, place the turtle on a towel or old cloth in a well-ventilated container. Rubbermaid or plastic storage bins/totes/boxes with lids that have air holes drilled into them work well. A cardboard box will suffice if a plastic container is not readily available, but please make 'air holes' so that the box is securely closed, possibly with duct tape. Injured turtles can sometimes experience an adrenaline rush due to their injuries. Please ensure the bin/tote/box is of a size the turtle cannot climb out of to avoid the risk of them escaping and/or aggravating their injuries.

Note: Do not put water in the storage bin/tote/box or give the turtle food, water, or medical treatment. You must have the turtle in your possession for OTCC to help.  

AFTER HOURS  

If you find an injured turtle, call the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) at 705-741-5000 ASAP and leave a message. They will get back to you as soon as possible. Please do not use Facebook Messenger to let OTCC know about an injured turtle. During turtle season, they get very busy and do not always have time to get on Social Media.  

If you call after hours and the injured turtle will stay with you until a ride can be arranged the following day, please place the storage bin/tote/box in a quiet area away from noise and pets, preferably in a dark and cool room or space. Do not give the turtle any water or food or attempt to treat it with any kind of medication. 

TURTLE TAXI

The 'Turtle Taxi' is a network of generous people from all across Ontario who volunteer their time to drive injured turtles to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC) when the person who found the injured turtle is unable to do it themselves. Long-distance trips sometimes involve multiple drivers to get the turtle from the location where it was found to the OTCC.

Turtle Taxi volunteers are needed during turtle season to transport injured turtles, requiring medical attention occasionally. While some drives are local, OTCC receives calls regarding injured turtles from all across Ontario in need of transport, so if you live far from the Peterborough area or commute regularly, you can still help out. Once a person volunteers to become a Turtle Taxi volunteer, their name will be placed on an email contact list, and they will receive emails sent out by the OTCC when there is an injured turtle in need of transport. Each email will reference where the injured turtle is located and needs to be picked up from. Turtle Taxi volunteers only need to respond to an email if they can do the drive. Turtles will be transported in closed containers – drivers do not need to handle the turtles directly. Interested volunteers do not need any experience with turtles to apply but must have access to a vehicle. Turtle Taxi volunteers are sometimes called upon to help with turtle releases.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Turtle Taxi, please phone 705-741-5000 or email volunteer@ontarioturtle.ca. For more information about the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, please visit http://www.ontarioturtle.ca and/or OTCC news and events on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and/or X.

FIX & RELEASE VIDEO

If you have yet to watch the documentary 'Fix & Release, ' we encourage you to watch it. This is an award-winning short documentary directed by Scott Dobson and produced by Jono Nemethy. It is a very informative portrayal of the OTCC and the turtle hospital. It needs to be viewed by everyone! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBCLZu-wVqw

Many people do not know that Ontario has a turtle hospital and that they can help an injured turtle they see on or near a road during their travels simply by making a phone call. For that reason, it would be beneficial if, after reading this article, you shared the information with family, friends, and associates and asked them to do the same.