This is Heidi. Or actually: this was Heidi.

Heidi is the first animal that I have picked up this season as part of my ‘work’ for the turtle shelter. It is also the first turtle that died while I still had her under my care.

Heidi is one of the many turtles that are dumped when people want to get rid of them. Many people think that a turtle can survive fine in the wild and throw them without pardon in a puddle or pond.

Zo also in the forest pond of my beloved Birkhoven; now that the weather is getting warmer I see them coming out of their hibernation. They crawl out of the water to lie in the sun, on a large branch or stone.

People think that's a nice sight. When I try to explain that these turtles are facing a guaranteed, slow (starvation) death if we do not take them out of the water to take care of them, they start discussing it and grumbling that I should not be so negative.

I picked up Heidi last weekend in Nijkerk. It was immediately clear that she was having a very hard time. She probably had to survive for a number of years in this -too cold for her- climate, and now it was over.

Heidi died Wednesday afternoon in a large bowl of hot water in my bathroom.

I was sick of frustration, anger and sadness. For me, Heidi’s story brings together many aspects of the way many people deal with animals in this world. Like worthless things that you can literally throw away. No economic value, and ‘therefore’ no value at all.

Many, many people really don’t care what happens to these animals – or to any other, for that matter.

These, and so many other animals, need people.

People who do not close their eyes to the suffering they encounter.

People who don’t run away from it, but come to it so that they can help.

People who do care.

People who are willing to spend their time, energy and often money on an animal that needs their help.

Because animals are abused, neglected or, as in this case, literally thrown away.

Because they themselves have no voice in this world, and hardly any rights.

And because they simply don’t have anyone else who is willing to take care of them, they hope to be on time and make another, perhaps the biggest, difference.

Who said that you can tell the civilization of a people by the way they treat their animals? Oh, yes, Gandhi. I think that is clear how I think about our 'civilization'.

Heidi stays with me. I will make a nice place for her in my garden. Not because I'm afraid I'll forget her, but because I can show her the respect she deserves.

Would you like to know more about turtles and the shelter in Harkema, and maybe help yourself in the way that suits you? Check https://www.schildpaddenopvang.nl/

(By: Jet Poels, volunteer Stichting Schildpaddenopvang Nederland )