Reptile Rehab

By Glenn McDonald

Everyone loves turtles. They’re beautiful creatures who live life at their own pace. But when sharing space with humans and cars, they tend to get banged up.

The good news is that, for more than 25 years, a group of NC State student volunteers has been rescuing turtles in the Triangle, patching them up and returning them to their native habitats.

Working out of the College of Veterinary Medicine, the student-led Turtle Rescue Team treats upward of 600 animals each year, mostly turtles and snakes. Emma Ferraro ’19, a second-year veterinary medicine student with the nonprofit group, says they are able to treat all nonvenomous reptiles and amphibians. “We’re only licensed to treat wildlife, so we can’t see pets,” Ferraro says.

“We’re only licensed to treat wildlife, so we can’t see pets.”
—Emma Ferraro ’19

Veterinarians often refer local callers to the group, which is able to accept walk-in cases and pick up injured animals in some instances — all free of charge. Ferraro says the team is an opportunity for veterinary medicine students to handle cases beginning to end, deciding on a treatment plan and even performing surgeries and other procedures.

“It’s great practice to be able to take our own cases,” she says, “and make good medical decisions.”

The group traditionally names its patients, usually around a different theme each year. “One year it was food; this year it’s song titles,” Ferraro says, pointing out a mole kingsnake named Mr. Brightside. “He’s doing great!”