Riverside, Calif. - Willy the tortoise made a crawl for freedom this week, getting half a mile from the fenced yard where he lives in a doghouse.
Shelley Larsen figures the 200-pound shellback escaped after her 18-year-old son, left a gate open.
Willy was corralled by a neighbor and Riverside County Department of Animal Services drove him to a shelter, with the 11-year-old African tortoise "rocking back and forth" in the truck, department spokesman John Welsh said. "The whole shelter was abuzz. Willy is the size of a small bathtub."
The department posted photos of Willy on its Web site and he was recognized by Shelley Larsen's daughter. Willy was back home after fewer than six hours of freedom.
It was the third time Willy has gotten out since the family bought him at a pet store for $130. At the time, Willy could fit in the palm of a person's hand.
Willy is now so strong that he sometimes knocks down tables when he lumbers around their house. And he can easily give rides to the family's nieces and nephews.
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