Herman is one lucky turtle.

She was ditched by her owners who didn't realise she'd grow from the tiny size she was when she was a baby (barely bigger than a toonie).

Herman's former owners abandoned her in a fountain at the Exhibition grounds; tossed away like a piece of garbage.

Somehow, Herman managed to survive but the young reptile was in rough shape when she was found recently by a couple passing by.

She was missing her front paws and most of her rear toes, making it next to impossible to swim and reach food.

Turtle rescuer Marc Oullette was called in to help her.

"More often than I'm even aware of, these turtles are just dumped in lakes and stream," says Oullette, "but because its a turtle, people figure 'oh, it'll be fine.'"

Oullette says Herman, who is a species of turtle known as a red-eared slider, is doing much better now.

She's a bit on the skinny side but is swimming as well as she can.

Oullette says stories like Herman's are all too common.

He and his volunteer team have rescued 700 of Toronto's homeless turtles over the last 4 years.