Tortoise escapes vet clinic for third time as residents urged to 'stay calm'

27 September 2023 , 14:32

789     0

Tank is still missing (Image: Jam Press)

A quick-thinking tortoise has escaped from a vet clinic for the third time - and is now roaming the streets in search for shelter. The reptile - who has been dubbed Houdini - belongs to one of the vets and usually lives in a pen outside the clinic.

Staff were just about to bring him indoors for his hibernation period when he legged it - but it is the third time he has done a runner. Vets believe the tortoise, who is actually named Tank, “caught wind” of the plans and promptly fled for an “adventure” instead of a long snooze.

Megan McFarland, a veterinarian technician at the Mahoning Valley Animal Hospital, in Leighton, Pennsylvania, US, asked residents to keep a lookout for the runaway tortoise. She said “I think he caught wind that Dr Mike was going to bring him in for the season.

“And he just decided he was going to high-tail it and go on an adventure. We walked out to the yard; all of us looked around the perimeter just to make sure Tank wasn’t hiding somewhere that Dr Mike just didn't see.

“Dr Mike then noticed there was a hole in the fence that the little sucker plowed through.” She added that Tank disappeared during the night of September 21 or sometime early the following morning. McFarland added that the tortoise is well known for his great escapes.

Furious chimp launches bottle at girl filming him leaving her bleeding at zoo

She said: “I call him Houdini. This is probably the third time he's gotten loose. We found him the past two times, obviously relatively close. The last time he was missing for maybe about two weeks.” A spokesperson for the animal hospital said: “Tank is currently around 50 pounds. He is a vegetarian.

“If you live within three miles of our clinic, and you have a garden, do not panic if you find him there. He may however eat all of your produce. It is imperative that we find him ASAP! The nights are starting to get cold.”

The spokesperson added: “If he is not returned to his pen and his heat lamps, he will die.” One resident said: “We live next to the clinic and searched our six-acre property. No sign of him.” Another resident joked: “You need to tie a balloon to him for when he gets out.”

A third suggested: “Need to put an AirTag on Tank. Hope you find him.” One more said: “I keep checking in hoping he was found. Praying he finds somewhere warm to hunker down and is found soon.” While another resident wrote: “Mine got loose last year and was missing for a week. Now he wears an AirTag. That was nightmarish!” On September 26, the clinic confirmed that Tank is still missing. The search continues.

Lee Bullen