'Best news ever': Missing Alberta tortoise reappears 7 days later

A three-year-old boy is smiling again after his pet tortoise who went missing aweek ago has reappeared in the family'sbackyard in Airdrie, Alta.

His mom, Theresa Dykstra, says it feels pretty amazing.

"That hope exists and that dreams come true and we are just so happy to have him home," Dykstra told CBC News.

Her son was overwhelmed.

"He could hardly talk. He didn't know where to look first. He kept repeating Georgey's name over and over and made sure we were giving him enough food. Georgeywas famished."

• Alberta family desperate to have special-needs pet tortoise returned

Georgey is an eight-year-old, red-footed tortoisewho disappeared from the family's backyard on July 21.

"My husband put him out for the afternoon and went inside to check on my three-year-old son, who was sleeping. Between 3:30 p.m and 4 p.m., he was removed from our yard. Our gates and fences are all tortoise-proofed and locked but somehow he was removed, unfortunately," Dykstra said last week.

She believes someone stole Georgey.

Dykstra took to social media. Friends, neighbours and even a search-and-rescue dog handler wanted to help.

The Dykstras' backyard and the community at large were searched over the weekend to no avail.

Family grateful to have him back

Then, on Tuesday, things turned around.

"I came home from work, did a quick search of the yard, and there was Georgey, sitting there in the grass."

The tortoise looked like he had not eaten in a few days. Dykstra attributes that to the special diet he's used to.

Regardless, he is home and eating now, and if Georgey was stolen, Dykstra isn't hanging on to any anger.

"My only conclusion would be that someone took him and then finally got the courage to return him," she said.

"We are just so grateful to that person and for everybody's help and assistance in having Georgey returned. It is just the best news ever."