Rescues and adoption

State program that adopts out captive desert tortoises that cannot be released to the wild. Applications are accepted year round from Arizona residents, who must build a burrow and enclosure before applying, and adopted tortoises must stay in Arizona. Ships: adopts within Arizona only. 844-896-5730.

State-sanctioned program that places unwanted or surplus captive Sonoran desert tortoises with qualified custodians in the Tucson area after a yard checklist and inspection. Adoptions run from April 1 to September 30 each year and sick animals are held for rehabilitation first. Ships: adopts in the Tucson area only. 520-883-3062.

Nonprofit reptile sanctuary in north Scottsdale focused on rescue, rehabilitation, relocation and education, with pet surrender intake and adoption days. Visits are by appointment. Ships: local adoption only. 480-513-4377.

Club founded in 1964 with 13 chapters across southern and central California that place abandoned, seized or surrendered turtles and tortoises, including permitted desert tortoises, with screened adopters. Adoptions are for California residents only and are handled by the nearest chapter. Ships: adopts within California only.

Nonprofit tortoise and turtle sanctuary that takes in displaced, injured and endangered animals for lifelong care and publishes care and housing information. No adoption program is described on the site. 760-499-4723.

Nonprofit society that fosters and adopts out turtles and tortoises, with sulcata tortoises and red-eared sliders listed and applications taken through its website and Petfinder. The site suggests people outside the Sacramento area look for a closer group. Ships: adopts in the Sacramento area.

All-volunteer nonprofit that has rescued, rehabilitated and adopted out turtles and tortoises for over 40 years, with monthly public meetings, adoption events in Balboa Park and an annual show. Mailing address is in Santee. Ships: local adoption only.

Statewide reptile society with a surrender and adoption program whose application covers box turtles, aquatic turtles and several tortoise species. Adopters must be 18 or older. Ships: adopts within Georgia.

Small volunteer rescue helping reptiles across southeast Idaho, contacted through its website form. The site does not list species or an adoption process. Ships: local adoption only.

Society adoption program that places unwanted reptiles and amphibians with screened current members, educators or institutions after verifying housing is ready. It does not take owner-surrendered red-eared sliders or iguanas, and animals are not shipped out of state except in rare cases. Ships: adopts within Illinois to members.

Nonprofit licensed wildlife rehabilitation center and exotic pet rescue that takes surrenders of small exotic pets, rehabilitates reptiles and amphibians and offers an adoption application. The site does not name turtles or tortoises specifically. Ships: local adoption only.

Nonprofit rescue and education program for reptiles and invertebrates that lists adoptable animals on its site and adopts to Frederick County and surrounding areas. The site does not name turtles or tortoises specifically. Ships: adopts in the Frederick County area. 240-200-4505.

All-volunteer nonprofit that fosters turtles and tortoises in members' homes and adopts them out through Petfinder listings, with rehoming and fostering help. Focus is the Mid-Atlantic states. Ships: adopts within the Mid-Atlantic region.

Licensed native turtle rehabilitation clinic and nonprofit in Massachusetts that treats injured native and pet turtles, runs an egg incubation program and places unreleasable turtles through an adoption application. Ships: local adoption only.

Rescue that rehomes reptiles and amphibians in northern Michigan and beyond and promotes proper husbandry, contacted by email. The site does not name turtles or tortoises and its most recent date is 2023. Ships: adopts in northern Michigan.

Volunteer-run society with a foster and adoption program for reptiles and amphibians. Aquatic turtles are taken only at intake events a few times a year, and animals are adopted out to current members at general meetings. Ships: adopts to members at meetings in Minnesota.

Permitted wildlife rehabilitator and nonprofit that treats injured or abandoned turtles and tortoises, releases native wild turtles and rehomes non-native or unreleasable turtles to qualified applicants. A second facility is in Southaven. Ships: adopts within Mississippi. 662-985-3535.

Nonprofit that rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes reptiles across Nebraska through foster homes and an adoption application. The site lists lizards and does not name turtles or tortoises. Ships: adopts within Nebraska.

Reptile rescue that rehabilitates and rehomes displaced reptiles after an application review, open by appointment. As of September 2026 it was not accepting surrenders, and the site does not list turtles or tortoises specifically. Ships: local adoption only. 845-206-1689.

Nonprofit society focused on turtle and tortoise conservation, husbandry and education, with meetings in Manhattan. Adoption and placement notices go out to members by email; the society says it has no local homes for red-eared sliders at present. Ships: placement through members only.

Nonprofit founded in 2004 that takes in injured, ill or unwanted turtles and tortoises, releases native turtles when possible and places pets through an adoption application. Space is limited and red-eared sliders are no longer accepted. Ships: local adoption only.

Nonprofit founded in 2018 that takes in displaced pet reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates and adopts them out through an application. It cannot take aquatic turtles, iguanas or large tortoises because of space, and it does not ship animals. Ships: local adoption only. 919-442-8238.

Nonprofit reptile rescue in coastal North Carolina founded in 2017 that fosters, rehabilitates and rehomes reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates through an adoption application. It can no longer take in aquatic turtles. Ships: local adoption only. 910-470-6299.

Network of licensed rehabilitators and foster homes founded in 1991 that helps unwanted, sick or injured wild and captive reptiles, including turtles, with an adoption process for captive animals. Foster homes are in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. Ships: local adoption only.

Nonprofit that rehabilitates unwanted, neglected and abused reptiles and amphibians and rehomes them when possible, with visiting hours and adoptable animals posted on Facebook. Intake was closed as of November 2026. Ships: local adoption only. 216-374-1392.

Small nonprofit reptile rescue and education group in Lancaster County that takes surrendered reptiles including tortoises by appointment as space allows, and arranges adoptions through an email alert network. It often cannot accept red-eared sliders or other aquatic turtles. Ships: local adoption only.

Volunteer nonprofit operating since 2015 that houses, rehabilitates and rehomes captive tortoises and box turtles, about 200 animals a year, from volunteers' homes by appointment. It does not rehabilitate native wildlife. Ships: adopts within central Texas.

Rescue facility in the Texas hill country providing shelter, rehabilitation and adoption for pet turtles and tortoises, with an adoption section on its site. Ships: adopts within the Texas hill country.

State program running since the 1990s that places captive Mojave desert tortoises with Utah residents after an application, a habitat inspection and a certificate of registration. Applicants may not live in Washington County and adopters cover veterinary costs. Ships: adopts within Utah only. 801-538-4700.

Reptile and fish rescue with a 12,000 square foot facility in downtown Tacoma that includes a medical intake room, long-term sanctuary and an adoptables area serving the Pacific Northwest. Its site carries a Russian tortoise care sheet and its Petfinder listings have included turtles. Ships: adopts in the Pacific Northwest. 253-331-0544.

Nonprofit exotic animal rescue founded in 2020 that takes surrenders of reptiles, fish and other exotics at its Neenah facility and rehomes them through an adoption application and adoption events. Its Petfinder listings have included map turtles, Reeves turtles and Greek tortoises. Ships: local adoption only. 920-558-4015.