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HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD YOUR PET?

The year was 1962. Jeanna Smith was visiting a zoo for her 10th birthday, when the zoo director of the Milwaukee Zoo, gave Jeanna a young tortoise.to keep as her own. I wonder if she ever imagined that she would have the pet when she was 65.  George is her oldest friend. She's taken him on vacations; she took him to college; she's dressed him up for Halloween. She's even lost him a few times. The closest call was 30 years ago, when George disappeared outside. Luckily the neighborhood got together to find him, and a young neighbor girl found him hiding in a neighbors yard.

WILL YOUR PET OUTLIVE YOU?

Gopher tortoises like George can live in the wild for 40 to 60 years; They can live in captivity up to 100 years! Don't worry though. Jeanna has already thought of that. She will be passing her tortoise on to someone in her family if George outlives her. It's been written in her will.

 

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