Bus Driver Lauded for Turtle Rescue

PETA Recognizes Local Man for Ferrying Reptile Across the Road

For Immediate Release:
July 8, 2019

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

A Compassionate Action Award is on its way from PETA to Milwaukee County Transit System employee Yaghnam Yaghnam for taking a turtle who was in the middle of a road to safety with little time to spare from an oncoming bus. Video footage of the rescue is available here.

Yaghnam was making his final stops at Milwaukee Area Technical College when he noticed an object in the road. As he drew closer, he realized that the “object” was a turtle, and he immediately pulled his bus over and jumped out to rescue the little animal. Just as he was depositing the turtle in a grassy area on the other side of the road, another bus rounded the corner—and headed straight for where the turtle had been just moments before. Yaghnam made sure that the coast was clear before waving the bus through. “I love turtles,” he says. “As soon as I realized it was a turtle, I smiled, as you can see in the video. I knew the other bus was approaching and wanted to be sure he was out of harm’s way.”

“Mr. Yaghnam acted quickly and compassionately to pluck a little turtle from a perilous spot in the nick of time and send the animal on his or her way,” says PETA Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA asks others to follow his lead and give turtles a helping hand during this busy wildlife season.”

PETA points out that even if their shells are cracked or crushed, turtles can remain alive for days or even weeks in agonizing pain, which is why the group urges people to pull over if they see one on the road and help guide the animal in the direction in which he or she is headed. Never leave an animal to suffer—if a turtle has been injured, take him or her to a local animal shelter or the nearest veterinarian for help. A PETA video provides information about helping on-the-go turtles, and additional tips for helping wildlife—including keeping an emergency rescue kit on hand and properly disposing of trash—are available here.

PETA is sending Yaghnam a framed certificate and a box of delicious vegan cookies.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.