RANSOM TOWNSHIP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A tortoise was reunited with its family after it went missing a month ago in northeastern Pennsylvania.
August 13, Ymir the Tortoise decided to take a month-long trip from Falls to Ransom Township. His trip left his family worried sick.
“We were really concerned because we didn’t know what he was eating. They can’t really swim, so we were super concerned. We were looking every day, like, literally climbing in the bushes looking for him,” said Ymir’s owner Katherina Durco.
From Facebook posts, to calling rescues, to hanging up flyers, Ymir’s family did everything they could to find their reptile friend, and it worked.
“It was the social media post that reunited us in the end because about 20 people messaged me and said ‘Hey, this woman found a tortoise it looks like yours go check it out,'” said Durco.
Crystal Yescavage was on her way to go fishing when she noticed someone who didn’t belong on the road.
“It was literally about to go into another creek bed, another 30 seconds and I probably wouldn’t have found it. So when I got out, I immediately went on the lost and found pets page of NEPA because I knew like chances are someone would know,” Yescavage explained.
After she made the post, Ymir and his family were reunited within hours.
“I mean she couldn’t even move, she was so excited, could not believe this was her pet, like, this was totally him,” Yescavage added.
“Uh, I cried, I was so excited to see him, and then our daughter who is one, she just, so, so happy she just wanted to talk to him, and pet him, and feed him all the lettuce, it was a really good moment a really happy moment for our family,” Durco explained.
Tortoises like Ymir are not native to Pennsylvania, so if you see one outside and alone, call for some help because chances are it’s someone’s pet.
