A Fife family has appealed for help to find their pet tortoise after he went missing from Kirkcaldy.
Horsefield tortoise George, thought to be around 12 years old, went missing from Winifred Crescent, Kirkcaldy, 12 days ago and has not been seen since.
Appealing for locals to keep an eye out for the animal, owner Amy Hall says it would mean the world to the family if George is found.
George is said to have a distinctive jaw line, with his underbite growing slightly squint – a trait the family refer to as his “Elvis lip”.
The beloved pet had been staying with Amy’s partner Thomas’s parents when he went missing.
Amy said: “George loves exploring and unfortunately while on his normal jaunt outside on a sunny day he managed to get out of the garden after a gate was left slightly ajar, which has absolutely devastated us all.
“He became a bit of a local celebrity in Winifred Crescent and all of the neighbours have been out searching for him when they heard the news.
“George has been missing for around 12 days now.
“As time goes on and temperatures dip we are incredibly worried about his whereabouts and if he is finding enough dandelions to keep him going.”
The missing pet has been reported to the Scottish SPCA, who told the family they haven’t had any sightings reported to them.
Amy thinks he could be hiding in some bushes, or buried himself in soil to keep warm.
The tortoise was her partner Thomas Mordew’s “dream pet”.
She added: “He was instantly a local favourite, with kids from around the street wanting to pop round to watch him explore the garden.
“For such a wee guy he also became a massive part of our family, with my stepdaughter Alice, aged five, taking to tortoise ownership with ease.”
Appealing for locals to keep a look out for George, Amy added: “Tortoises naturally dig down into soil for warmth so we would be so grateful if those local to the area could have a look in any bushes and areas of soil which he could have hidden himself under.
“We are all just beside ourselves and it would mean the world to all the family to have him back.
“The post on Facebook has been shared hundreds of times and we can’t thank everyone enough for their help so far.”
Conversation