Pembrokeshire tortoise gets wheels!

You read that correctly – a 90-year-old tortoise from Pembrokeshire has been given a set of wheels after losing its front legs in a traumatic accident.

Mrs T the tortoise lost her front legs after a rat attacked her while she was hibernating and her owners, the animal-loving people that they are, fought for Mrs T to still enjoy a life of full mobility. After spending £1,000 in vet bills, owner Jude Ryder found it hard to accept that Mrs T would not be able to walk again, so she enlisted the help of her mechanical engineer son Dale.

Dale managed to design an axle, upon which he attached two toy plane wheels that would fit the shell of Mrs T, enabling her to walk “much faster than before”.

“Her new set of wheels saved her life”

The news of a tortoise being fitted with wheels has taken the internet by storm, with even the likes of American television personality Perez Hilton reporting on the story, but owner Jude is just happy Mrs T is alive and well. She said in this article, “We were afraid she may have to be put down, but her new set of wheels saved her life.”

Pembrokeshire is a hugely popular place to visit for families who love wildlife, where children can see dolphins, whales and all sorts of wildlife, perhaps for the first time in their lives, as highlighted in this previous article. To see more miraculous stories like Mrs T’s, just head to Folly Farm where their conservation work saving the black rhino, among other endangered species, is nothing short of heroic.

Folly Farm is a popular local attraction for families staying in nearby Tenby beach cottages. Why not take the family this half term and see your own wildlife miracles?

Image Credit: Justin Ennis (flickr.com)

This content was written by Emily Bray. Please feel free to visit my Google+ profile to read more stories.