Moose the tortoise goes missing from San Jose home, again

A San Jose family is on the lookout for a repeat offender, their 50-plus pound tortoise, Moose. The reptile went missing from his owner's San Jose back yard over the weekend. Last year it happened and Moose was found seven miles from home.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - A family in San Jose is on the hunt for their beloved tortoise, all 50+ pounds of him. The missing reptile escaped from the family's backyard near Mastic and Goodyear over the weekend.

The Millfelt family of San Jose own a lot of animals including two dogs, two cats, a ferret, fish in their koi pond and a baby tortoise. One animal is noticeably missing.

“He’s really sassy and kind of like a cat a little bit,” said Robert Millfelt, the tortoise’s owner.

Moose is the other tortoise in the family, a 12-year-old Sulcata tortoise. The Millfelts said he weighs more than 50 pounds.

“When I used to be able to carry him, I’ve have to stand like this and actually hold him from both sides in the past when I’ve taken him to work with me,” said Patricia Millfelt of San Jose. “I just put him a blanket and we'd sling him out of the car.”

He’s a big brother to the other animals and to the Millfelt’s toddler. Moose is now on the loose.

“With the warmth he's normally out sunbathing,” said Patricia Millfelt. “Sometimes he will sleep a day or two but by the second day we realized he was gone.”

Robert Millfelt believes the tortoise slipped through an open gate when Robert was working in the yard Saturday. The family has been looking for him ever since.

This isn't the first time Moose has wandered off. Last year, he snuck out after a worker also left the gate open.

He was found a week later seven miles away in Martin Junkar’s front yard.

“My wife heard some noises here and she went there and found a big tortoise,” said Junkar.

The tortoise was found walking by the fence. Junkar and his wife reunited him with the Millfelts.

“We were very surprised how the tortoise got this far becausee they are so many cars in the road,” said Junkar.

“He can be pretty fast surprisingly, you think they are slow but no they are pretty quick,” said Patricia Millfelt.

The Millfelts said tortoises are surprisingly fast and sly creatures. They’re planning to post these fliers around town.