Lucy, the 7-year-old tortoise who disappeared from her Westminster home on Oct. 5, was reunited with her owners this afternoon – slightly scratched and a few pounds lighter but apparently in good health otherwise.
Lucy was found by employees of Lafayette Feed and Grain several days ago. One of the employees, 19-year-old Tom Haislip, took her home and had been caring for her for several days.
As Sheila and Robin Rockley, Lucy’s owners walked into Lafayette Food and Grain this afternoon, Lucy headed straight for them, said Sheila Rockley.
“She came right to us. She had her head out and her little arms wrapped around me,” said Sheila Rockley with a laugh. “It was really cute.”
Several people had called the Rockleys after hearing about the missing tortoise, saying they had seen the 30-pound desert tortoise at the store.
The Rockleys said that Lucy, who had been dropped off at a nearby pond several days earlier, apparently made her way to the feed store after smelling the feed.
When Lucy entered the Rockley’s Westminister home this afternoon, she was greeted by the couple’s three dogs and cat. One of the little dogs was so excited he was shaking his tail vigorously and shaking all over, said Sheila Rockley.
Then Lucy headed straight for her indoor bed, apparently one tired tortoise, said Rockley, laughing.
Haislip, the feed store employee, said that while he was caring for the tortoise he fed Lucy apples and corn on the cob.
“She is like a tiny little dog” and very friendly, he said.
Sheila Rockley said that tomorrow the couple plans to take Lucy to a veterinarian to make sure she has not suffered any ill effects from her prolonged adventure.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
