Beware of the savage tortoises

Cornwall Council is forcing a woman who runs a rescue centre for pet tortoises to apply for a zoo licence if she wants to keep her project open.

According to This is Cornwall:

"Joy Bloor, owner of Tortoise Garden in Sticker, was told that she must apply for zoo status or close after Cornwall Council reclassified the creatures as wild animals — on a par with tigers, giraffes and elephants. She has been given one month to apply for zoo status for the shelter — which she says could cost her £250,000 a year."

Just how many people have been savaged by a rampaging tortoise? Will Mrs Bloor be forced to keep her charges behind double fences of steel mesh and razor wire? Will she have to feed them by poking lettuce leaves through the bars on the end of a pointed stick? Will the next series of Britain's Got Talent feature tortoise tamers?

The article states that Cornwall Council could have decided to exempt animals such as tortoises from the rules as being formerly wild animals which are now so often kept outside zoos as to regard them as domestic pets. But they didn't. And Mrs Bloor is left to pick up the pieces.