The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Chameleon Igor returns after weeks on the run
REUNITED: Owner says having beloved pet safely back home again is ‘a miracle’
A pet chameleon that had been “on the run” for almost five weeks has been reunited with its owner in Fife.
Sharon Muir has hailed her beloved Igor’s return as “a miracle” after fearing the worst for the veiled chameleon, which is normally more accustomed to the arid environments of Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Search parties, public notices and even a story of Igor’s escape from its home in Rosyth in The Courier had failed to shed light on the reptile’s whereabouts.
However, a startled neighbour spotted the chameleon walking across his garden bench on Sunday morning, 32 days after it first went missing and just 50 metres away from where it had originally escaped.
“It’s a miracle he’s alive and I’m so delighted,” said Sharon, who now has Igor back home with her menagerie of other exotic pets including a bearded dragon, two geckos, bull frogs, horn frogs and a tortoise.
“As the days went by I did fear he had come to harm, either by injury or by being exposed to the cool climate.
“Then a neighbour called me completely out of the blue to say she thought Igor had been spotted and I couldn’t believe it when it really was him.
“Considering he’s been out in all weathers for almost five weeks, he’s hardly lost any weight so must have been able to catch insects to survive.
“He was very dehydrated and after a check up with the vet it appears he has injured his tail, which will have to be amputated later this week.
“As bad as that sounds I’m assured he’ll survive and it won’t affect him too much. However, I will have to redesign his enclosure so he doesn’t have to climb very high in future.”
Sharon was quick to thank the local community which had regularly been out searching gardens and hedges in the hope of finding the missing pet.
She added: “Neighbours have been fantastic throughout with gangs of children often out looking for Igor and even one resident refusing to cut her grass in case he was hiding in the overgrowth.
“Everyone is delighted to see him back home safe and sound and I can’t thank the public enough for their support.
“He’s already had lots of cuddles and will be getting plenty of tender loving care in the coming days and weeks that’s for sure.”
Some people love puppies and kittens and little fluffy bunnies. Sharon Muir loves her chameleon and when he went missing five weeks ago she was as anxious as any pet owner.
But residents in Rosyth rallied round, organising search parties and even letting the grass go unmown in case Igor was taking shelter from the unforgiving Fife climate, and to everyone’s delight the scaly fugitive has returned. With cuddles for Igor and praise for the neighbours, it’s a treat to bring this shaggy dog story to a happy conclusion.