Tortoise returned home after Sunday stroll

A 35-pound tortoise that found its way out of a Gilbert backyard to take a stroll around the neighborhood was returned to its owner on Sunday.

Owner Ashley Martin said the family is grateful to have the 7-year-old tortoise, named Rock, home safe.

“He’s like our family pet, so we’re happy that he’s safe and that Gilbert (police) took good care of him while they had him temporarily,” she said. “Now he’s back in the backyard eating and playing again.”

Martin and family members had been moving things into the backyard on Saturday and unknowingly left the gate unlatched when they finished and left the house.

“He was able to figure that out and got out and started walking the neighborhood,” Martin said.

A neighbor found him and called the Gilbert Police Department after she couldn’t find the owner.

When Martin returned home, about an hour and a half later, and went to the backyard to feed Rock, she discovered he had escaped.

She found out neighbors had called police and they were keeping him at the Police Department.

Rock was back home less than a half-hour later.

“I thought it was awesome, (the officers) all thought it was really cool to have a turtle back there,” Martin said. “I just thought it was kind of funny. I wouldn’t expect my turtle to be at the Gilbert PD, but I am glad they were able to find him and to hold him temporarily for us. So, I appreciate that.”

Gilbert police spokesman Sgt. Jesse Sanger said officers bring in stray pets more often than people realize. Most are dogs, but sometimes they encounter more uncommon animals.

Officers found another tortoise last week, and a few weeks ago an officer discovered some sheep in the road, he said. The officer saved them from being hit by vehicles and took them back to the Police Department in his patrol vehicle.

Police found the woman who had been watching the sheep while the owners were out of town and returned them, Sanger said.

“It’s great when we can return a pet to its owner,” he said. “That’s a pretty good feeling for us and it usually helps out the community in that regard.”