Pokey Pal Returns to Human Family - 2 Press Items (Long)

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Posted by Wes von Papine�u on May 31, 2000 at 19:40:12:

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (California) 26 May 00 Pokey Pal Returns to Human Family
The manhole-size wandering tortoise who was picked up by Menlo Park police on Tuesday was reunited yesterday with its human family.
The 46-pound, 40-year-old tortoise, known as Frankie, was picked up by members of the Spalasso family at the Wildwood Veterinary Hospital in Portola Valley. He -- the family thinks it's a he, but isn't sure -- escaped for a day or so out a gate that was apparently left open by a gardener at their home in Menlo Park, said Greg Spalasso.
"When I first saw him today, I was so relieved," Spalasso said. "I said, `Frankie, Frankie, where have you been?' "
Spalasso, 24, and other family and friends brought a basket of goodies for Frankie to the Wildwood Veterinary Hospital including lettuce, tomatoes and his favorite food, bananas, along with a balloon and a big white cake, both of which said "Welcome Home."
Frankie was spotted by a passing motorist about 9 a.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Fremont Street and Florence Lane, a few blocks from downtown Menlo Park, near Draeger's, a local gourmet market that has been known to serve unusual foods, and three blocks from the Spalassos' home.
Spalasso said he was surprised to learn Frankie was suffering from a respiratory infection. It's a common ailment for exotic reptiles like this one, according Mary Leake, outreach coordinator for the Peninsula Humane Society, which briefly cared for the tortoise until it was turned over to the veterinary clinic. Frankie will be taking antibiotics and eating lots of lettuce for the next two weeks to combat the infection.
The Sulcata tortoise is indigenous to Africa but commonly bred in captivity. It can grow to more than 150 pounds and can live 150 years or more, said Scott Delucchi, a Humane Society spokesman. Tortoises are a land animal, as distinguished from turtles, which tend to be aquatic animals.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/05/26/MN1456.DTL

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (California) 24 May 00 Menlo Park Loiterer Found To Be a Hardened Specimen (Mark Simon)
Menlo Park: A young and growing 40-pound tortoise was taken into custody for loitering by the Menlo Park Police Department yesterday morning after a low-speed chase.
The tortoise was spotted by a passing motorist about 9 a.m. at the intersection of Fremont Street and Florence Lane, a few blocks from downtown Menlo Park, near Draeger's, a local gourmet market that has been known to serve unusual foods.
"When the officers got there, he was loitering on the corner,'' said Menlo Park Police Sgt. Terri Molakides.
"He was big, and he was a big surprise,'' she said.
Community Service Officer Jill Jensen took the tortoise into custody. It was held in a canine cage at the police station for about an hour.
Then, the tortoise was turned over to the Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo, where officials took it to a nearby veterinarian who specializes in rare, tropical animals. Officials said the vet wished not to be identified.
Officials said they had yet to determine the gender of the tortoise, although Molakides said it appeared to be a male.
Humane Society spokesman Scott Delucchi said the tortoise weighed 40 pounds and its green and brown shell was "about the size of a manhole cover.'' He said the tortoise appeared to be less than 10 years old.
"It was pretty much acting as a speed bump out there. It's kind of lucky the police called us,'' Delucchi said.
When the Humane Society took custody of the tortoise it was breathing heavily and appeared to be suffering respiratory problems, Delucchi said. It also had scrapes on the rear of its shell, indicating it may have been trying to "get out of somewhere,'' he said.
The tortoise is a Sulcata tortoise, indigenous to Africa but commonly bred in captivity and sold in pet stores, Delucchi said. It can grow to more than 150 pounds and can live 150 years or more. And it is a tortoise, a land animal, as distinguished from turtles, which tend to be aquatic animals, he said.
Police said there was no indication where the tortoise came from, but it couldn't have been far, said Joe Slowinski, assistant curator at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
"A tortoise that big can't move very fast. I don't think it could have gone more than a half-mile in an hour,'' he said.
It's possible the tortoise either escaped or was abandoned by its owner, Delucchi said.
"People often don't realize how big they're going to get and how long they're going to live. Not many people are ready to make a 150-year commitment to a tortoise,'' he said.
If its health is poor enough, the vet examining the turtle yesterday could have decided to euthanize the animal, Delucchi said.
More likely, the tortoise will be returned to the Humane Society in a few days where it will be reclaimed by the owner, put out for adoption or placed in an animal sanctuary.
"I think we would have kept him if we thought they'd give him the death penalty,'' said Sgt. Molakides. "Loitering is just a misdemeanor in this town.''
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/05/24/MN75095.DTL

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: SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (California) 26 May 00 Pokey Pal Returns to Human Family : The manhole-size wandering tortoise who was picked up by Menlo Park police on Tuesday was reunited yesterday with its human family. : The 46-pound, 40-year-old tortoise, known as Frankie, was picked up by members of the Spalasso family at the Wildwood Veterinary Hospital in Portola Valley. He -- the family thinks it's a he, but isn't sure -- escaped for a day or so out a gate that was apparently left open by a gardener at their home in Menlo Park, said Greg Spalasso. : "When I first saw him today, I was so relieved," Spalasso said. "I said, `Frankie, Frankie, where have you been?' " : Spalasso, 24, and other family and friends brought a basket of goodies for Frankie to the Wildwood Veterinary Hospital including lettuce, tomatoes and his favorite food, bananas, along with a balloon and a big white cake, both of which said "Welcome Home." : Frankie was spotted by a passing motorist about 9 a.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Fremont Street and Florence Lane, a few blocks from downtown Menlo Park, near Draeger's, a local gourmet market that has been known to serve unusual foods, and three blocks from the Spalassos' home. : Spalasso said he was surprised to learn Frankie was suffering from a respiratory infection. It's a common ailment for exotic reptiles like this one, according Mary Leake, outreach coordinator for the Peninsula Humane Society, which briefly cared for the tortoise until it was turned over to the veterinary clinic. Frankie will be taking antibiotics and eating lots of lettuce for the next two weeks to combat the infection. : The Sulcata tortoise is indigenous to Africa but commonly bred in captivity. It can grow to more than 150 pounds and can live 150 years or more, said Scott Delucchi, a Humane Society spokesman. Tortoises are a land animal, as distinguished from turtles, which tend to be aquatic animals. : http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/05/26/MN1456.DTL : SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (California) 24 May 00 Menlo Park Loiterer Found To Be a Hardened Specimen (Mark Simon) : Menlo Park: A young and growing 40-pound tortoise was taken into custody for loitering by the Menlo Park Police Department yesterday morning after a low-speed chase. : The tortoise was spotted by a passing motorist about 9 a.m. at the intersection of Fremont Street and Florence Lane, a few blocks from downtown Menlo Park, near Draeger's, a local gourmet market that has been known to serve unusual foods. : "When the officers got there, he was loitering on the corner,'' said Menlo Park Police Sgt. Terri Molakides. : "He was big, and he was a big surprise,'' she said. : Community Service Officer Jill Jensen took the tortoise into custody. It was held in a canine cage at the police station for about an hour. : Then, the tortoise was turned over to the Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo, where officials took it to a nearby veterinarian who specializes in rare, tropical animals. Officials said the vet wished not to be identified. : Officials said they had yet to determine the gender of the tortoise, although Molakides said it appeared to be a male. : Humane Society spokesman Scott Delucchi said the tortoise weighed 40 pounds and its green and brown shell was "about the size of a manhole cover.'' He said the tortoise appeared to be less than 10 years old. : "It was pretty much acting as a speed bump out there. It's kind of lucky the police called us,'' Delucchi said. : When the Humane Society took custody of the tortoise it was breathing heavily and appeared to be suffering respiratory problems, Delucchi said. It also had scrapes on the rear of its shell, indicating it may have been trying to "get out of somewhere,'' he said. : The tortoise is a Sulcata tortoise, indigenous to Africa but commonly bred in captivity and sold in pet stores, Delucchi said. It can grow to more than 150 pounds and can live 150 years or more. And it is a tortoise, a land animal, as distinguished from turtles, which tend to be aquatic animals, he said. : Police said there was no indication where the tortoise came from, but it couldn't have been far, said Joe Slowinski, assistant curator at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. : "A tortoise that big can't move very fast. I don't think it could have gone more than a half-mile in an hour,'' he said. : It's possible the tortoise either escaped or was abandoned by its owner, Delucchi said. : "People often don't realize how big they're going to get and how long they're going to live. Not many people are ready to make a 150-year commitment to a tortoise,'' he said. : If its health is poor enough, the vet examining the turtle yesterday could have decided to euthanize the animal, Delucchi said. : More likely, the tortoise will be returned to the Humane Society in a few days where it will be reclaimed by the owner, put out for adoption or placed in an animal sanctuary. : "I think we would have kept him if we thought they'd give him the death penalty,'' said Sgt. Molakides. "Loitering is just a misdemeanor in this town.'' : http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/05/24/MN75095.DTL

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