HELP! Don't find Charlie!

Let Charlie be free!!

If I had to deal with the dumb asses in these articles,

I'd run as fast as a turtle too...

(I hate the zoo.)

link to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at : www.stltoday.com for the latest Charlie news.

Tortoise missing since Monday By Patrick M. O'Connell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Saturday, Sep. 01 2007
Chesterfield — Police and about everyone else in Chesterfield are being asked to look out for Charlie, a large tortoise that made a dash for freedom from a pet shop this week — if dash is the right word.At whatever speed, Charlie, who has been missing since mid-morning Monday, remained at large Friday evening. He got free apparently by pushing opening the door at the Petropolis pet center in what is presumed a quest to score some grass. Not marijuana, plain grass.Charlie is described as tan-brown in complexion, about one-foot in diameter, weighing about 70 pounds. He was last seen wearing a hard shell. He is known to frequent grassy, shady areas. He is not armed and does not bite.Brad Watts, who calls himself the "hotel director" at Petropolis, a store and pet-pampering operation at 16830 Chesterfield Airport Road, said mascot Charlie is a sulcata tortoise, native to the edge of the Sahara in northern Africa. At 9 or 10 years old, Charlie is almost a child among his kind, which may live to be 50 or 60.Charlie has pushed his way through the door before, Watts said. Usually the staff notices, and ushers him back."For whatever reason, he decided to just keep walking," Watts said. "He's probably like, 'Hey, this is pretty cool. I have a lot more open area out here and a lot more grass to eat.' "Watts and the store's workers and customers posted fliers, filed a missing-tortoise report with authorities and organized searches.Charlie can cover about a block and a half in 15 minutes, or two to four miles a day, Watts aid. He was reported seen Tuesday at Chesterfield Airport and Long roads, about two miles from the store.Charlie and his brother, Galveston, arrived at Petropolis more than a year ago, after being rescued from the home of people who had trouble caring for them. Galveston was later moved to Grant's Farm.Watts asked that anyone who encounters Charlie try to keep him away from roads, stall his journey by standing in front of him and call Petropolis at 636-537-2322.Watts said he cannot think of any reason for Charlie to flee. "He's having a tortoise adventure," Watts said, "I bet he's having a grand old time."
Tips come in but Charlie the tortoise still missing By Patrick M. O'Connell ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Saturday, Sep. 01 2007 The search for Charlie, the tortoise missing from a Chesterfield pet center since Monday, continues today with staffers following up on the scores of phoned-in leads and tips.
One caller believed they spotted the 70-pound creature this morning behind a car dealership, "but it turned out to be a rock," said Brad Watts of Petropolis, the pet center at 16830 Chesterfield Airport Road. Charlie, a 9- or 10-year-old sulcata tortoise who became the mascot of Petropolis since he moved in a year and a half ago, made a break for it Monday. He pushed his way through the front door, as he sometimes does in a search for grass, but walked off before staffers noticed.Petropolis has received many concerned calls and possible tips since a story about Charlie was published in this morning's Post-Dispatch, Watts said. "We're taking every call seriously," Watts said. Petropolis also is offering a $1,000 reward for anyone who brings Charlie to the pet center or finds him and stays with the tortoise until staffers confirm it is the missing animal. Charlie is not aggressive and will not bite. "He's a very loving tortoise," Watts said.A search party of about a dozen Petropolis staffers and customers looked for Charlie on Friday night. Reports have put the tortoise along Wild Horse Creek Road and behind a Walgreens along Long Road. The reported spottings make sense, Watts said, because Charlie can cover about a block and a half in 15 minutes -- or about two to four miles a day.
Anyone who believes they have spotted Charlie should call Petropolis at 636-537-2322. He is most likely hanging out in grassy, shady areas. "Sooner or later," Watts said, "we're going to find him."