PALO VERDE VALLEY TIMES (Blythe, California) 16 September 08 Sadie the Hitch Hiking Turtle (Jaclyn Randall)
Sadie the hitchhiking turtle arrived in Blythe late Friday morning amid a fanfare.
Mayor Robert Crain, Blythe Area Chamber of Commerce, Chamber directors and members and community residents all stood by as Tim Critelli of Critelli Courier Service pulled into 7th St. Chevron guided by the new police cruiser with lights flashing. The crowd greeted Sadie with a "Welcome Sadie" sign and the Chamber made Sadie an honorary member.
Sadie has made international headlines over the past couple of weeks. The tortoise was discovered abandoned in Idaho at a rest area. The turtle was then taken to Kiwani Wambli wildlife rehabilitation center near Cusick, Wash.
Local Wayne Cusick's friend in Washington heard about Sadie and gave Cusick a call.
"With my name being Cusick and the turtle being in Cusick and my wife LeeAnn raising another turtle named Speedy, well, it just seemed the thing to do," said Cusick.
Since the story broke, Kiwani Center Operator Dotty Cooper has been inundated with calls about wanting to give Sadie a ride to Blythe.
There were at least 500 calls offering to return Sadie to the desert. Critelli and his sister Colette, on a trip to Utah, heard about Sadie and called Cooper and said he could make the trip. Cooper agreed that Sadie could hitch a ride with the courier service.
The pressure has been on in recent weeks to find Sadie a ride due to the cold climate fast approaching in Washington. Sadie's natural habitat is right here in the Mohave Desert and would not survive the harsh winter in the northwest.
Sadie stayed at Tracks and Tales Wildlife and Educational Facility during the weekend where he had a chance to spend time with two other tortoises that are being housed at the non-profit facility. Sadie, who by the way was discovered to be a male, will feed on mulberry leaves until he is united with the Cusicks and Speedy.
Visit www.pvvt.com, click on Videos, to see Sadie's "Welcome Home."
Sadie the Hitch Hiking Turtle