Stacey Rogers was on her way home from work on May 30, when she saw an alligator snapping turtle about two feet into the road near La Madeline in Reston Town Center. She joined four other drivers who had stopped their cars to try and coax the turtle out of the road. Eventually, they got the turtle to climb into a container and Rogers transported it to Lake Newport.
After contacting the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Rogers learned that in some cases it is illegal to transport wildlife. However, the official told her that she was not in trouble for last Thursday's relocation.
Virginia state law indicates that it is illegal to transport wildlife, especially in cases where the wildlife is a nuisance to a property owner. The property owner must first contact the local humane society or State Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 540-899-4169 for advice.