An animal welfare charity has praised Westminster City Council for helping rescue a 90-year-old tortoise from the incinerator and given it a special award.
The council received a Hero to Animals Award from PETA after it strung to help Zuma after the shelled pet had crawled into a rubbish bag and was collected by a bin lorry .
Working with waste collectors Veolia, the council used GPS tracking to find the lorry, and then thermal-imaging software to help search through around 1,000 rubbish bags, before the tortoise was found and returned to its grateful owner of four decades Sarah Joiner.
“Thanks to Westminster Council’s heroic efforts, Zuma was spared a terrifying end and reunited with his family”, said PETA Foundation director Elisa Allen.
“Westminster are fortunate to have public servants who are willing to go the extra mile to protect all residents – whether they have two legs or four.
“We hope their compassionate action will serve as inspiration to others.”
As well as a certificate, the council will also receive a box of vegan chocolates from PETA.
Earlier this year, the charity sent a humane rat trap to Wormwood Scrubs after a report found the prison was over-run with the vermin .
