They may move slow, but they can sure go far. A woman contacted 17 News about her missing tortoise. She says she knows who has him, but that person won't give him back.
It has been more than a month since Travis the tortoise went missing. And now it's turned into a tortoise tug of war. Six year old Travis lived in Michele Hartley's backyard and was considered a member of the family.
"I've had him in the backyard all his life and then of course in the winter, he's inside, he hibernates in the winter," explained Michele Hartley.
Travis usually hid in a hole in the backyard. But after Hartley didn't see him for a few days, she got worried. "Four days went by and I hadn't seen him but my husband said it's not uncommon and we find them back there," said Hartley.
But Travis never showed up and Hartley posted flyers around her neighborhood. "A neighbor called me and said she had him a few days and then a neighbor next to her. I guess he got out and went to the next," continued Hartley.
Travis somehow got out of the Hartley's yard and made his way around the block. Finally, one neighbor decided to find him a new home. When Hartley got word, she went to the new owner's house.
"She said I'm not giving it to you. It took you two weeks to put a flyer up and I don't think you should have it," explained Hartley.
Hartley called police and an officer went to try and talk to the woman who offered to give the tortoise a new home. She had apparently given Travis to her sister.
"She got irate with police. She refused to give the officer her sister's number. She wanted the police's badge number because she said he was out of line," continued Hartley.
17 news went to the woman's house, but no one answered the door.
Police say Travis' new owner could be in trouble with the law, for refusing to cooperate.
"We know the woman who was last known to have the turtle reasonably knew it belonged to someone else and she knew who it belonged to, and so by keeping it or giving it someone else that could constitute a misdemeanor," said Sgt. Mary DeGeare, Bakersfield Police Department.
Police say because Travis is a pet, of value, he is considered property. The case has now been submitted to the District Attorney's office to decide if charges should be filed.
