Holtby, tortoises cleared to exit U.S. after spending days at border
Never doubt the tortoise's ability to cross the finish line on top.
U.S. authorities allowed Braden Holtby and his two pet reptiles to leave the country and cross into Canada on Friday, following an ordeal that left the Vancouver Canucks goaltender and his animal companions stranded at the border for several days.
On Wednesday, Holtby's wife, Brandi, asked her Twitter followers for help dealing with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because the couple hadn't realized they needed to file export papers for the creatures in addition to import documents.
The next day, she revealed the government agency was on the case.
π’π’ UPDATE: Thank you to all of the kind souls out there who have made an effort to help! FWS is aware of our situation and they are working towards a solution to get Braden and the boys home!π¨π¦
β Brandi Holtby (@bbholtby) November 19, 2020
I will let you know when they are safely in Canada sipping a Double-Double and sharing Timbits. π
β Brandi Holtby (@bbholtby) November 19, 2020
Finally, on Friday, she provided an update that brought the snafu to a satisfying conclusion.
Welcome to Canada, Honey and Maple! π¨π¦ Huge shout out to @USFWS for working so hard for us! Thank you for everyoneβs concern.. NOW you may laugh at the image of Braden being stuck at the border with a tortoise under each arm. π’π¨π½βπΎπ’
β Brandi Holtby (@bbholtby) November 20, 2020
Holtby, who was born in Saskatchewan, will play for a Canadian team for the first time in his NHL career next season. He signed a two-year, $8.6-million contract with the Canucks in October after spending 10 years with the Washington Capitals.