A Largo man is upset and pursuing potential legal action after he says he was forced to pay nearly $1,000 to get his missing pet tortoise back from the animal sanctuary owner who picked him up. Merrick Westlund says it was nearly a month ago when he came home from his job as a charter boat fishing captain to find his beloved 18-year-old African sulcata tortoise “Shelby” was missing. Westlund says he began posting signs around his neighborhood, calling the SPCA and animal control to see if they took his tortoise in, checking social media and posting for info to his large social media audience. He believes the tortoise broke out of her enclosure and through the fence in his backyard. A few weeks later he says a neighbor reached out, "and said that this wildlife place may possibly have my tortoise," Westlund explained, believing it was picked up close to his home. He was ecstatic to know Shelby was safe and called Vernon Yates, the operator of Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation in nearby Seminole, describing Shelby and her unique shell markings. “He said yes, I have her and the first thing out of his mouth was it's going to cost you a lot of money,” said Westlund, who says Yates wanted him to shell out more than $1,000 to get her back. He contacted FWC and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office to get a resolution. PCSO says they have a report, but it’s considered a civil matter. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/florida-man-tortoise-trapper/67-b6166b01-2a35-48da-a821-eb69a74ab4a2 ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►X: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay