PSNI defend their response after child's pet tortoise is reported missing

Officers in Mid Ulster posted details of the missing pet on social media after it made off from a garden in the Coolreaghs Road area of Cookstown on Saturday afternoon.

The post received some negative comments from the public, with some people considering the matter was not worthy of police time.

A police spokesperson responded: “The original post took approximately 20 seconds for a colleague to edit and publish. If this post helps unite a distraught child with their pet I would say that is 20 seconds of police resources well spent.”

Another person claimed police response to a missing person report would not be as prompt.

“24 or maybe 48 hours before a person can be declared missing but PSNI are posting about a turtle / tortoise within a few hours. Sickening.”

Police responded to the claim, saying: "This is factually inaccurate. Missing person reports are informed by the circumstances of that individual. If there is a risk identified the police will act immediately.

"This post is concerned with lost property. This is an entirely different matter than a missing persons report and the issues are not comparable.

"Our efforts to locate and trace lost property does not preclude our efforts or ability to progress more serious investigations such as missing persons. We can do both.

"Police regularly utilise social media for missing cycles, missing dogs and other property items. This is no different. We would simply like to reunite a pet and its owner.”