Runaway tortoise found on other side of a busy interstate days later

A pet tortoise who went missing from his owner’s home turned up two days later on the other side of a busy interstate.

The Portland Police Bureau said members of the East Precinct Neighborhood Response Team were on an unrelated assignment when they encountered a tortoise on the multi-use path along the west side of Interstate 205, north of Southeast Flavel Street.

“Recognizing that this may be a runaway pet, the officers caught up with the fugitive reptile,” the bureau said on social media.

The tortoise was apprehended after an extremely slow-speed chase, and Multnomah County Animal Control was able to identify him as Bowser, a per reported missing two days earlier from a home Southeast Claybourne Street — on the other side of the highway.

“It’s not clear where Bowser has been for the past 2 days, or how he traversed the interstate freeway, but PPB is gratified that he is safe and sound and back home with his family,” the post said.