Keep Smiling!

Had to rescue two turtles from the backyard today. The total turtle count is up to 5, in the past month or so.

I let the dogs out around 6am, Bailey and Willow did their usual thing, Riley took his trot around the perimeter of the backyard. He does Perimeter Patrol every time he goes out, and before he comes in. At the very back of the yard, he stopped and jumped back, then sent out the alert. Fierce barking. Bailey and Willow came running to see what treature Riley had found. Riley snaps at something (I cant see what, from my position on the deck) and jumps back, and pounces and jumps back ... barking loudly. By his mean stance, I'm thinking "Oh crap. Snake. "

I call the dogs, Bailey and Willow come to me half-willingly. Riley wont back off. I came inside and threw on normal clothes (I had been in a nightshirt, and barefoot) and marched out, armed with a shovel. Bailey and Willow actually stay back in the middle of the yard, not wanting to approach Riley and his Nemesis.

He's ferociously barking at a turtle. Willow approaches it and takes it in her mouth and shakes it ... I'm pretty sure it's dead by now. I make her drop it, and try to pick it up, with Riley barking at it, and Willow trying to play with it. I end up going out the back gate and putting it as far away from my property as possible. When I come back, I take a quick scan around and see another turtle watching me, near the fence. Riley hasnt seen this one yet, but it was just 5 feet away from where he'd found the other one. ARGH! This one was obviously still alive... so I carefully picked him up and put him outside the fence as well.

TIRED OF TURTLES!!!!!!!!!