Ethel Is Safe! Missing Instagram Star Tortoise Found Three Weeks Later

FAIRFIELD (CBS13) — It's good news for fans of Ethel the tortoise, the glamourous reptile was found in her Fairfield neighborhood and returned to her family.

A few weeks ago Ethel went missing while roaming in her backyard where a repairman working on the house left a gate open.

CBS13's Shirin Rajaee spoke with Ethel's owner Kacey Kuchiniski two weeks ago who said the tortoise is "a spot of sunshine in our life, part of our routine, part of everything we did, so losing that feels very much like losing a loved one."

Kuchinski and her husband searched everywhere for Ethel: under bushes, in corners, in neighbors homes, they even put up hundreds of flyers.

But Ethel's stardom kept the hope alive. She's stealing hearts online with more than 6,500 followers on Instagram. Her photos on her social media page show her in costumes, on hikes, eating pumpkins. She's a very curious tortoise.

READ: Veteran Uses Air Force Experience To Shape Medical Career And Help Others

Kuchiniski said Ethel was found stuck in a fence in the neighborhood where they live. The person who found her took her to a tortoise rescue in Suisun.

Luckily, the woman who worked at the tortoise rescue had seen the news story about Ethel and called Kuchiniski.

Now Ethel is safe and sound back home. According to her Instagram story, she got a warm bath and was treated to her favorite food Monday night.

If you'd like to follow Ethel, here is her Instagram page: ethelTheGlamourTort