Missing/stolen Weston-super-Mare area-FOUND
 

Sorry to rush in & post without introducing myself & my two torts - will do that tomorrow ....

A friend's tortoise has disappeared this afternoon from her front garden in Weston-super-Mare.

It's a female Hermans approximately 30 years old.

She usually lives in the back garden in her own area, but today was sharing the guinea pig run with the gps in the front. Run and gps are still there tortoise has vanished.

Her owners have searched the garden to no avail. They have reported her missing to the police.

They think she has been stolen as the gps are still there - however stolen/escaped I'm 'sitting on the fence' knowing how determined an escapologist a tortoise can be.

Unfortunately she's not chipped - she was bought from a pet shop in those days when tortoises were purchased from a pet shop for a few shillings, and has been a family pet ever since.

If anyone should hear anything, or has suggestions of where help maybe gained, please post.

Thanks.

I hope she is found/returned safe and sound very soon.

As someone who has recently lost their tortoise, I wish your friend all the very best in having her returned back home x

Such sad news. Hoping your friend's tortoise is soon found.

Aw, hope your friends tortoise turns up soon. Still looking for my parent ibera spur-thigh that was stolen from Bridgwater, Somerset back in May 2011, so can fully empathise. :(

If they haven't done already, your friend can also report to John Hayward who keeps a National Theft Register of Exotics:

Tel: 01869 325699 / 07802 404929
Email: jh@ntr.supanet.com

There's also a facebook page set up by a lady in Kent that also had tortoises stolen back in May too: Stolen Tortoises May 2011

Posted this a few places for you. Will add as my Facebook status and I also have a few friends in the Weston-super=Mare area, so I'll post this to them and ask if they can share for you.

Oh I hate to see these posts. :-( I live in Weston and will put the word about and keep my eyes/ears peeled. Have put it as my Facebook status. If there's anything else I can do, let me know. Hope it turns up.

I'm please to say this tortoise has turned up.

Seems she did go in for some escapology! Wandered up the road some 150 yards, and spotted a very nice pile of dry leaves in a neighbours porch. As the house owner has a door from house to garage, they don't use the front door that often, and Smartie had buried herself well.

At the weekend, someone spotted a little face poking out the leaves ... So she was reunited with her owners.

Smartie is now with me for the week as her owners were off on holiday and really very worried about who to leave her with after that, so I said she could come and stay here for the week. She's settling down for hibernation at the moment, and after winter, when she does gets up, she's going to be chipped.

Thanks all for your messages, which have been much appreciated.

I'm glad its a happy ending.

Great news!

Brilliant!!! :D

Ooh, nice to see a happy ending. :-D