Target: René de Beukelaer, Chief Prosecutor, Amsterdam Public Prosecution Office, Netherlands
Goal: Identify and prosecute whoever sealed four protected tortoises inside an unventilated plastic crate and dumped it into a canal, exposing the animals to drowning and suffocation.
A maintenance vessel operator pulled a sealed plastic storage crate from a canal near an industrial shipping lane. Inside were four live Mediterranean tortoises, partially submerged in foul water. The container had no ventilation holes. The protected reptiles were suffering severe respiratory distress and required treatment at a specialized wildlife rehabilitation facility.
No suspect has been identified. Investigators are treating the discovery as suspected illegal wildlife dumping and attempted drowning. Determining where the crate entered the moving waterway presents a significant challenge because currents may have carried it from another location.
The container itself could help break the case. Investigators are examining its serial numbers and branding to trace retail distribution. Environmental officers are checking exotic-pet registries, while residents along the canal have been asked to review security footage. Authorities must use these leads to identify whoever confined and discarded the tortoises and pursue prosecution if the evidence establishes criminal wrongdoing.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Chief Prosecutor de Beukelaer,
Four protected tortoises were discovered trapped inside a sealed plastic crate floating in a canal. The animals were partially submerged in foul water without ventilation and were suffering severe respiratory distress when rescued.
No person has yet been identified as responsible. However, the crate’s identifying marks, exotic-animal registration records and private surveillance footage could help investigators reconstruct its origin and determine who possessed the tortoises before they entered the waterway.
Please ensure that every viable investigative lead is pursued. If authorities identify a suspect and evidence establishes that this person allegedly sealed these tortoises inside the crate and discarded them into the canal, pursue appropriate prosecution and penalties. Four protected animals trapped without any means of escaping contaminated water or obtaining fresh air deserve meaningful accountability.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Rolf Venema
