Bearded Dragon Finds His Way Home

A rare and happy ending for one bearded dragon.

Many people aren’t aware that SPCA Tampa Bay takes in reptiles, rabbits, birds and livestock that are found in the community, and neither did Todd’s owner.

Todd escaped his home and was missing for nearly 2 months.

His owner, Gretchen, was distraught and searched her neighborhood and a nearby park everyday looking for him.

Reptiles need special care, UV lighting and nutrients everyday to remain healthy. When they don’t receive these, the results can be irreversible or deadly.

A good Samaritan happen to find Todd the bearded dragon 11.9 miles away from where he escaped and brought him to SPCA Tampa Bay.

Todd was underweight, dehydrated and lethargic. He could barely walk when he arrived.

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Unfortunately, Todd had developed  metabolic bone disease due to lack of nutrients which caused discoloration and tail deformity.  Todd spent time as a foster pet under the watchful eye of a staff member. He started to show signs of improvement and even begin to eat on his own when we happen to receive a call from someone who was missing their bearded dragon.

Gretchen did not know Todd was in the safe hands of the SPCA Tampa Bay staff and called a local reptile rescue searching for him. They recommended she call us. “I didn’t know there was a place for lost reptiles.”, Gretchen told us. Conversation and photo verification ensured us that we had her beloved bearded dragon named Todd. “I couldn’t believe it, but I knew he was alive. I knew he was out there.”, teary-eyed Gretchen told us when she arrived to reclaim him.

If you or someone you know has LOST or FOUND a rabbit, reptile, livestock or bird in Pinellas County please visit post adoption help.

In an effort to better help pet owners reunite with their lost domestic pets,  Pinellas County Animal Services serves as the one, centralized lost-and-found location for cats and dogs. If you have lost a cat or dog, please visit pinellascounty.org/animalservices/lost-found.

Todd will be able to live with the disease he acquired while he was missing, however it is not fully reversible. He now requires a diet high in calcium and routine medical checks. Our hope is that by spreading the word that help is here, we can reunite more lost reptiles with their owners, faster.