100-Pound Tortoise Traps Two Curious Puppies in Its Den and Refuses to Move

Tortoises in the desert dwell in dens to keep themselves safe and protected from extreme heat temperatures. In this video, two species collide in an unusual encounter that resulted in a call to the San Bernardino County Fire Department in California.

Puppies are known for being mischievous and it’s no different for these two five-month-old pups, Peo and Finn. Curious and adventurous, they ended up exploring a 100-pound tortoise’s den. They would have been able to get out the same way they got in if it weren’t for Oscar, the large desert tortoise deciding to block the entrance.

Residents in the area became increasingly concerned because the pups were trapped and had become silent—they couldn’t lure the tortoise out, and so decided they needed to call in the professionals: the local fire crew.

The San Bernardino County firefighters arrived on the scene and tried the first tactic to lure the tortoise forward with the promise of a sweet summer treat: watermelon. However, the tortoise wasn’t budging.

The video starts off with a happy scene of the two rescued pups along with their dog mom, Kathleen, the large tortoise, and the team of smiling firefighters who saved the day. As the news reporter goes on to explain what happened that led to those final, happy moments, you can see the moments when the firefighters had to move on to the second rescue tactic of the day—digging.

The day’s light had faded by that point, and they had to set up some flashlights as they each took a shovel and tirelessly worked to free the two trapped puppies. Throughout the entire rescue, the 100-pound tortoise refused to move a single inch.

After about an hour of nonstop digging, the firefighters finally made their way to the pups to set them free. They emerged with wagging tails, perhaps a bit thirsty and hungry but completely okay.

They were reunited with Kathleen and all of them, including the tortoise, stood side-by-side with the rescuers for photos after a very eventful evening.

The news reporter ends the story by saying, “In the end, apparently no hard feelings between the protective tortoise and those two adorable little intruders.”

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