By John Carroll
Oceanside, CA (KGTV/CNN) - A possible case of animal cruelty is being investigated in Oceanside, California.
Someone taped a box turtle to a bunch of balloons and it got stuck in a tree.
"We look up and there's red and green balloons up there," said Chenelle Wright.
Hanging from those balloons was a little box turtle. Wright knew she had to get the turtle down from there.
"He was just swinging his arms trying to get out of it. Somebody had taped him to the balloons," she said.
Then, Wright got on her cell phone.
"I called the Humane Society to try to get the fire department out here, but it took about an hour for everybody to actually show up," she said.
In the meantime, the turtle hung, dangling in the wind.
That's when Joel Rabagos' mother got out her camera and started taking video of the turtle.
"When something like this happens, she always takes the video camera no matter what it is," said Rabagos.
The fire department eventually rolled up with a big ladder truck, but as they were able to about to rescue the turtle, a gust of wind blew him down to the ground.
A Humane Society employee then cut the turtle free from the balloons.
Fortunately, the turtle wasn't physically hurt, but both Wright and Rabagos are outraged that anyone could treat an animal like this.
"What were you thinking? I mean, a turtle is still like life. There's no reason to be putting him up in a balloon and sending him off," said Rabagos.
"It's animal abuse. If you didn't want the turtle, give it away, take it to a pet store," said Wright.
A picture of the turtle is held at the Oceanside Humane Society while an investigation is conducted. If no one claims the turtle Wright says she and her family are ready to give it a new, loving home.
"I am going to call and see if the turtle's there so, I'm gonna get my turtle," she said.
If detectives can find out who taped the turtle to the balloons, they could face charges of animal abuse.
KGTV/CNN