A Leg Up

Recently eaten: salmon, beans, corn
Recent annoyance: one dry contact lens

If I lost a limb, I think I'd want a choice of what I replace it with. Maybe I want a big all-terrain wheel instead of a human leg. Or maybe I want a snow plow attached to the front. I'm not a strong swimmer, but I might be if I could attach a dolphin tail. It just seems cruel to limit a turtle to terrestrial travel when maybe it wants a jet pack instead.

3-legged, 4x4 tortoise
Tina the tortoise has been given a lift after being fitted with a suspension system and a pneumatic tire to help her cope with muddy terrain.

The three-legged reptile can now go ‘off-road’ after the 4×4-style system was attached to her shell.

Tina was fitted with a plastic wheel four years ago to replace her rear right leg.

But our increasingly warmer autumns mean Tina hibernates later in the year, leaving her battling to cope with muddy grass and slopes and dead leaves.

So the rudimentary wheel has now been replaced with an air-filled tyre and a spring suspension system with shock absorber.

"Eat my dust!"