Reward Offered in Ventura Tortoise Cruelty Case

July 13, 2007

VENTURA – The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the theft and mutilation of Bob, a pet tortoise who was very special to a Ventura, California family's autistic child.

The Case:
On July 8, someone snatched the 42-pound African tortoise from the Sullivan family's backyard on East Center Street. The next morning, Dorothy Sullivan received an anonymous call on the whereabouts of the beloved pet. He was found in brush behind the nearby Ventura Valley View apartments on Cedar Street with stab wounds on his shell and belly. Police say the wounds look as if someone tried to remove Bob from his shell. The tortoise was taken to a Santa Barbara animal hospital where he was placed in intensive care. His condition is now stable.

To the Sullivan's six-year-old son William, Bob was an accepting friend he could talk to when he would not speak with anyone else. Until a couple of years ago, William did not speak, but used sign language. These days William will chatter on about the details of his school days to the 25-year-old tortoise, according to his mother.

Animal Cruelty:
The connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented. The HSUS First Strike Campaign® raises public awareness and educates communities about this connection while providing a variety of resources to law enforcement agencies, social work professionals, educators, legislators and families. The HSUS offers rewards in animal cruelty cases across the country and works to strengthen laws against animal cruelty. Visit humanesociety.org/firststrike.

The Investigator:
Anyone with information about Bob the tortoise can contact Ventura police detectives at 805-339-4394 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 805-385-TALK. Police are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at humanesociety.org.