Heal the Turtles

Your article “Pub Crawling, Brennan’s-Style” (by Tracy Johnson, Aug. 13) is offensive and way off the mark. Although turtles are not cute and cuddly, that doesn’t mean that they are not abused. Which is exactly what happens every week at Brennan’s Pub.

In a cruel scenario not mentioned in your article, the turtles are trucked in to the bar in small plastic containers, doused with hot water before the races in order to “give them a little goose” (as their owner recently explained to me with a wink), then tossed on to Astroturf under harsh white lights while boozed-out patrons scream for their favorites to cross the finish line.

It’s great that the emcee of this carnival of cruelty donates penalty fees from bettors who violate rules to Heal the Bay, but better yet--how about returning the turtles to whatever bay or pond they came from and thinking of a better way to make a living?

DEANNE STILLMAN

Los Angeles