Well, today we became parents to “Shellby” the turtle for the day. Our little turtle friend returned to the back yard and was found by our dog again! Only this time Suki did some damage. She chewed off part of the back shell and Shellby was bleeding. So, we brought her in and cleaned the wounds (I used a homeopathic that I was given after giving birth. It is supposed to be good for injury). Then I put on a triple antibiotic. We put her in a big tupperware bin with some food (fruit) and water. I found a turtle forum where everyone agreed that we should get her to the vet ASAP. The only problem is, it’s the 4th of July and no one is open. Long story short, I ended up learning about a wildlife rescue while at a festival this afternoon. The Piedmont Wildlife Center takes in native animals for rehabilitation and was more than happy to help out Shellby. They didn’t even ask for money. (I gave them some anyway! What a great cause! And it is totally run by volunteers.) So, now, Shellby has a case number and I can check up on her early next week to see how she is doing. Once she has recovered, she will be released in an area with some of her box turtle friends, away from cars and dogs, and hopefully have a happy, healthy future. 🙂