THIS is the nail-biting moment a pet tortoise makes an agonisingly slow escape to safety from her burning enclosure.
The dramatic slow-mo dash was captured on a pet-cam while her loving owner was away for the day.
Leo, a three-year-old Sulcata tortoise, was peacefully snoozing in her purpose-built backyard shed in Fullerton, California while her owners were at a Super Bowl LX party Sunday night.
Unexpectedly, a heat-lamp inside the enclosure tipped over, igniting the straw Leo was sleeping on.
Flames began to spread through the room while Leo dozed, unaware of the danger she was in.
Suddenly, Leo springs to action and crawls at a surprisingly quick pace out of the burning shed.
Leo moves her little elephant-like stumpy legs as quickly as she can as the shed burns down behind her.
Millions of viewers screamed “run Leo” as they watched the painfully slow getaway, which was later posted online.
Hyeri Tom, Leo’s owner, explained that a neighbour noticed the fire and rushed to put it out.
Leo was found safely tucked away in a bush as her shed was reduced to ashes.
Following the ordeal, Leo was lethargic and had no appetite.
Tom rushed Leo to an emergency vet clinic on Thursday where she was treated for inflammation in her bronchioles and given daily saline breathing treatments — in a makeshift “hot box.”
Fortunately, Leo made a full recovery and gained a legion of fans in the process.
Tom posted a video of her “sports-mode” self-rescue online which has racked up millions of views.
He wants to warn other pet owners of the dangers of unsecured heat lamps.
“The heat lamp fell and ignited the substrate,” he explained.
“Watching her panic broke my heart.
“Posting this as a warning to other tortoise owners: secure your heat lamps. This could’ve ended very differently.
“I never want another pet to feel that fear.”
Tom is now building Leo a safer house.
“In all seriousness—thankful beyond words for attentive neighbours who helped put out the fire,” he said.
