How You Can Help

Wildlife rehabilitation is not in any way funded by the government or some overarching organization (although it should be). Therefore, everything that the turtles need, from food to medicine to habitat to vet bills, comes out of the pocket of yours truly. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’m not made of money. I do this because I care about turtles and the environment, and I will keep doing it as long as I can afford to. However, if I can’t pay the bills, I can’t save the turtles. There are a couple things you can do to help: donate stuff, or donate money. You can also hire me, or spread the word.

There are a few things that get used a lot in turtle rehab that we can never have too much of, so if you’re bringing a distressed turtle by and you can spare any of the following, please bring it with you:

  • Paper towels
  • Bleach
  • Cloth towels (any size)
  • Disposable gloves (latex, rubber, plastic, etc.) – I’ll take any kind, but if you feel like splurging on biodegradable ones, click here.
  • Sphagnum/Peat moss (the kind that looks like dirt that you can get at any garden center)
  • Rubbermaid-type containers (any size that can fit a turtle is good, but the bigger the better; opaque is best, but clear is ok too; lids ok if you have them but still useful if they are missing)

There are also some things that are longer-term use or big-ticket items which will improve my operation as a whole, and I’ve put these on an amazon wish list which you can access by clicking here. They range in price from $8 to over $100. Feel free to also buy online anything on the above list of consumables and bring it over any time or send it to me. Contact me for the address.

I often get asked if I could use old fish tanks, and the short answer is no. Most of them are not the right size for turtles (anything less than 40 gallons is too small, and most tanks are too tall and skinny which isn’t as good as short and wide) and are heavy and hard to clean for how often a rehabber turns around habitats. Rubbermaid-type storage bins and stock tanks are better. I also get asked about old hook-and-eye closures from bras, and we do not use these. Hooks/eyes/wire epoxied to the shells are used in an old method of shell repair which is riskier and less efficient than the current foil tape/super glue method.

If you’re not sure what to get for the turtles, or you want to help with the vet bills and such, please feel free to donate any amount to Turtle Haven via PayPal or Venmo.

Venmo: Search for @TurtleHavenCT on Venmo and send any amount like you would send to a friend. It may also come up as our founder’s name, Angelina. You will not be getting any goods or services for your donation and it is not tax deductible. The direct link to my profile if you can’t find it is here. If you are having trouble finding or using our Venmo to donate to us, please email us at: info@turtlehavenct.org .

PayPal: All you have to do is log in and click “Send Money”. Then type in my email address: info@turtlehavenct.org and choose your amount and click “Send”. At this point in time, Turtle Haven is not an official 501(c)3 non-profit organization, because that is a whole long process that is expensive in and of itself to complete, can take months, requires lawyers, etc. Becoming a non-profit officially is a “someday goal”, but in the meantime, you can still help out. You just can’t claim it on your taxes. Treat the PayPal donation like you’re sending money to a friend, as you will not be getting any goods or services because of it. You’ll just be rewarded with the knowledge that you’re helping turtles in need. The direct link to donate via PayPal is here.

I used to have a GoFundMe page, but that expired and they take a cut of the donation for administrative expenses, so it’s better for everyone if you just donate via PayPal or Venmo.

Cash/check: If you’re old-school and would rather mail me a check or cash, that’s fine too. You can make it out to me personally or to Turtle Haven, Inc. and mail it or drop it off. Contact me for the address.

Hire Me

I do talks for children and adults about turtles. Hire me for your classroom, library, camp, birthday party, after-school program, fair, etc. and I will bring some of my chelonian (turtle) friends for people to meet while they learn about turtles. Fees from these programs go directly to the turtles. Visit my Educational Programs page to learn more.

Volunteer

If you want to directly help me help the turtles, and you’re not afraid of getting your hands dirty, click here to fill out a volunteer application.

Spread the Word

Follow me on your social media platform of choice and spread the good word about helping turtles:
Facebook
Instagram
Bluesky
Youtube