LAUREL, Md. (AP) - A joking Facebook post about a “Found Dog” that showed a Maryland police officer’s rescue of a snapping turtle garnered some consternation.
The Washington Post reports that a Laurel police officer retrieved a turtle from under a parked car on Saturday. In one photo accompanying the post, an officer is seen holding the turtle by the tail.
One commenter asked “Next time please do not carry by the tail you can damage their vertebrae.” But others endorsed the officer’s technique, noting that they’re called snapping turtles for a reason: they have a powerful bite.
The police department chimed in again later acknowledging that the technique may not be ideal, but neither is losing a finger. The department notes that the turtle is doing fine “swimming in Rocky Gorge Reservoir.”
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