Georgia police rescue runaway tortoise near school
By CBS News Atlanta Digital Team
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HINESVILLE, Georgia (WUPA) — Officers with the Hinesville Police Department responded Sunday after residents reported spotting the large reptile roaming near the Bradwell area, just outside Fort Stewart.
According to police, the tortoise had slipped out of its enclosure during the warm weather and managed to travel a surprising distance before being spotted by neighbors who called 911.
Officers arriving at the scene quickly realized the rescue would require more than just guiding the animal back home.
“With a little teamwork and a lot of muscle, officers were able to lift the very large, very determined, and very heavy tortoise and return him safely to his enclosure,” police said in a statement.
Police joked that the reptile, described by officers as a “dinosaur,” gave them an unexpected workout during the rescue.
After safely returning the tortoise, officers secured the gate of the enclosure to prevent the “shelled escape artist” from making another getaway.
No one was injured during the unusual rescue, and the tortoise is now back home.
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