Missing IE Tortoise Sought By Distraught San Bernardino Owner Found 'At Last!'

SAN BERNARDINO, CA — A missing tortoise was found days after it was reported missing in San Bernardino, the owner says, attributing its return largely to his social media search efforts.

The tortoise was found on Friday, after being reported missing on Sunday when she was not outside waiting to be fed, as usual, owner Cactus Bash said on Instagram.

He estimated that she "got out of his yard after the gate loosened," he told anyone who would listen, saying that she pushed her way out of the bottom.

"She's bigger than a football, about the size of a medium-sized cat," the owner, who refers to himself as Cactus Bash, said over Instagram. He has posted flyers and asked all to watch for her on social media, in a post that has since gone viral.

He pleaded with the public for sightings of the wandering reptile, last seen heading east off N. 7th and West L Street in San Bernardino, he said.

Supporters and other tortoise owners offered advice, such as checking to ensure she hasn't burrowed herself in the yard, while others shared tortoise sightings in the area. As of Thursday morning, Dolly the tortoise had not yet been located.

"She's going to live to be 130. She's only 3 years old right now, so she's a baby," he said. "My baby is finally home!"

Before she was located, he sent out this social media plea: