Kirks Vets Practice Manager Sara Marchant with Pee-Wee the lost tortoise
Vets Kick Off UK-wide Search After Tortoise Found At Recycling Plant
8 hours ago 
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Vets at a Sleaford veterinary clinic have put out a call for the owners of a lost tortoise who was found on the hand-picking line at a nearby recycling plant.
Sleaford local Paul Frost handed the saucer-sized tortoise in to Kirks Vets after it was found on the sorting line on Thursday 17 October. Paul is known as Dr Dolittle by his colleagues at Mid UK Recycling after he found and rescued three kittens just hours apart on the site last year, one of which he adopted with wife Louise.
Paul said the little tortoise has most likely been through quite the journey before turning up in Sleaford.
“The tortoise would have been brought in on a 22-tonne recycling truck which could have come from anywhere in the country. It has been ejected from the lorry and scooped up in a digger before ending up on the hand-sorting line where it was found. That is one lucky tortoise!”
The tortoise, affectionately nicknamed Pee-Wee by the Kirks Vets team, is thought to be a Herman tortoise and weighs around 675g and is 12cm wide. He has suffered some damage to his shell, but vets are unable to tell whether that occurred in transit, and say he is otherwise happy and healthy. He has been microchipped but unfortunately isn’t registered in any databases.
Sara Marchant is practice manager at Kirks Vets, which is part of IVC Evidensia’s network of first opinion practices, and has been looking after Pee-Wee since he was handed in.
“This little tortoise has been on a huge journey and it’s incredible that he could have travelled to Sleaford from anywhere in the UK. Luckily he is in good shape for what he’s been through and is getting lots of care and attention from our team,” said Sara.
“We really want to help reunite him with his owner and would encourage anyone who thinks he may be theirs and has a microchip number that we can use to verify ownership to get in touch with us.”
If an owner doesn’t come forward, Kirks Vets will look to rehome Pee-Wee locally, either with a family or a wildlife centre with a vivarium where he can live happily.
Kirks Vets has asked that anyone who thinks this might be their pet get in touch by calling the practice on 01529 303344.
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