Tortoises 'lucky to be alive' after being dumped in cardboard box in Horsham

The reptiles were found by a man in Horsham’s Serrin Way who took them back to his home before contacting the RSPCA.

And now the animal charity is issuing a heartfelt plea: “Please don’t let animals pay the price of the cost- of-living crisis.”

The Mediterranean tortoises – which need to be kept in a warm environment of between 20-25C – were discovered on January 26 when temperatures in Horsham dropped to just 5C.

RSPCA Inspector Tony Woodley said: “It is never a good idea to abandon tortoises – but it is so dangerous in January in the UK as they need to be kept in a place where the temperatures do not fall below 15C if they’re not hibernating – so whoever did this was certainly putting them in harm’s way.

“To care for tortoises properly you need specialist enclosures and other equipment. Whoever left them would have likely had some of this equipment as they looked to be in a good condition. But for whatever reason they have then chosen to leave them in a vulnerable situation when we would expect any reasonable person in need of help to instead look for support rather than putting these animals at risk like this.

“Sadly, this isn’t uncommon at the moment. Charities like ourselves are struggling to find spaces at our animal centres for all the animals that are being abandoned and being brought to us.”

The tortoises, thought to be young adults around three to five years old, are now being cared for at South Essex Wildlife Hospital in Grays.

Tortoises have very specific needs and owners need to provide a suitable indoor habitat with appropriate heating and lighting to stimulate their natural environment. The pair found in Horsham are Hermann’s tortoises and are natives of southern Europe.

The RSPCA says it is concerned about exotic pets, like the tortoises, whose owners may be affected by cost of living rises, particularly the higher electricity bills they face for providing lighting and 24-hour heating.

Inspector Woodley said most exotic animals, including reptiles, need a carefully-controlled environment and failure to provide this can result in serious ill health. “In addition,” he said, “many tortoises can live for decades so ownership is a very long-term responsibility and people need to do their research and decide if they can make that commitment.”

The inspector added: “It is a difficult time for many people with the cost of living, but we would encourage people to reach out to us and seek help if they are having problems caring for their tortoises and other reptiles.”

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The RSPCA is providing cost of living support for worried pet owners and has recently opened a telephone helpline on 0300 123 0650 and an online hub, which has practical tips and advice, including details of pet food bank schemes.

Anyone with any information about how the tortoises were left at Horsham should contact the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018.