It's almost nap-time for over 200 captive desert tortoises who are looking for their homes at the Arizona Game and Fish Department. And they would sure love to take that winter slumber somewhere they could wake up permanently.
According to the AZGFD website, "Each year the Arizona Game and Fish Department adopts out hundreds of captive desert tortoises that are surrendered to the department. These tortoises cannot be released back into the wild because captive tortoises can transmit diseases that can decimate our wild population."
Some tortoises are rescued from dangerous situations like illegal breeders, some come in with painted shells and wounds, and in some cases, owners have to give up their pet tortoise if they move out of state or just can’t take care of the creature anymore. A very similar situation as you'd see with dogs and cats around the valley.
Something to keep in mind when considering adopting a desert tortoise is that they may outlive you! The average lifespan of these animals is roughly 50-80 years! So making sure they are taken care of the full time is essential.
Learn more about adopting HERE! And see WHY you need a tortoise in the video of my pup with her bestie below.