Lamoine Howard, who owns Biscuit, an African tortoise gifted to his daughter on her fifth birthday, said the tortoise left their yard on Wednesday.
SORRENTO, La. (BRPROUD) -- Wednesday, Aug. 30 was an eventful day for Lamoine Howard and one of his family members, Biscuit.
Howard, who owns Biscuit, an African tortoise gifted to his daughter on her fifth birthday, said the tortoise left their yard on Wednesday. He said that during bad weather the day before, the wind blew the gate open, breaking the latch. This left an opening for the tortoise to escape.
That was just the beginning of Biscuit's adventure.
Two officers with Ascension Parish Animal Control rescued the land tortoise from the New River Canal that morning, according to John Connelly, a communications team member with Ascension Parish Government. Biscuit was found floating as he is unable to swim. Connelly said that this was "not something that happens every day."
After his rescue, Biscuit was taken to Cara's House-Ascension Parish Animal Shelter. A post was made on Facebook about a rescued tortoise. A friend of Howard's showed him the pictures of the tortoise on social media. Howard recognized his pet and went to the animal shelter with his father where they reunited with Biscuit Wednesday afternoon.
In a Facebook post about the reunion, Cara's House-Ascension Parish Animal Shelter said that Biscuit was 100 years old. After the entire adventure, Howard said that Biscuit was not hurt.
