BY AIDAN GRAHAM
A Bay Ridge tortoise escaped her
pet-owners home last week, devastating
the reptile’s human mother — but
the southern Brooklyn community has
rallied to the rescue, venturing out to
help search for the missing animal.
“People have been great. I’ve been
putting fl yers in people’s mailboxes,
and they’ve called to tell me they’re
looking. People have had their own
search parties, and kids have been
looking,” said Laura Torres. “They’ve
been so supportive.”
Doris, a brown African Leopard
Tortoise, made her getaway from Torres’
home at 94th Street near Ridge Boulevard
on April 21 when the Ridgeite’s
backyard gate was left open for just 20
minutes, she said.
“Like anyone who has lost a pet,
we feel horrifi c. We feel like there’s 30
things we could’ve done better in hindsight,”
Torres said. “But accidents happen,
and you have to deal with that —
so that’s where we are.”
The distraught tortoise owner
quickly took to social media to alert
COURIER L 6 IFE, APR. 30-MAY 6, 2021
community members of Doris’ great
escape, pleading for any information
about her whereabouts.
“We’ve had Doris for over 20 years
in our family, longer than our own
children,” she wrote on the animalfi
nding site PawBoost.
A 15-year Bay Ridge resident,
Torres quickly received an outpouring
of support, including from
area Councilmember Justin Brannan,
who posted information to Facebook
about the missing reptile.
“And you thought Bay Ridge
wasn’t a small town? There’s an African
leopard tortoise named Doris
on the loose and we need your
help!” Brannan wrote.
If she’s still on the street, Torres
said, Doris usually walks around
during warmer days, while sheltering
when it’s cold.
“She’ll sit somewhere for a long
time, especially when it’s cold. At that
point she’ll defi nitely hide, and stay
there for quite a bit, while she waits for
the next day, when it’s warmer again,”
Torres said. “When she rests, she likes
to be hidden and sheltered, maybe under
bushes where her colors can blend
in.”
Yet Torres said the 10-inch by 6-inch
animal is fairly easy to spot when outand
about, leaving her to fear that
someone may have scooped up her beloved
ON THE RUN: (Above) Doris the tortoise.
(Left) A sign for Doris hangs in the window
of Bay Ridge Animal Hospital.
Courtesy of Laura Torres, Bay Ridge Animal Hospital
friend.
“We haven’t really seen any sightings,
which is concerning because
she is very visible. She’s not small,”
she said, “It’s possible that someone
took her, she’s very visible. We’re hoping
if that’s the case, someone returns
her. Maybe they just didn’t know we’re
looking.”
She’s even offering a monetary reward
for Doris’ return. “No questions
asked,” Torres said. “We just want her
back.”
Anyone with information can contact
Laura Torres by phone at (718) 347-4325
or by email at ltorres234@gmail.com.
WHERE’S DORIS?
Bay Ridge bands together in
search of missing family’s tortoise
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