Photo: Boyd Huppert, KARE 11

When Jenna had her 10th birthday party at the Milwaukee County Zoo, she received a gopher tortoise as a gift from the then director. That was in 1962.

Jenna named the tortoise George and she grew up like any other normal Milwaukee kid in the 60's, except she had a pet tortoise. When she went to college, when she met the love of her life, family vacations, everything in life, George was there.

Today Jenna is 65 years old and living in Minnesota. And George? He is 56 and still alive and kicking and living life with Jenna. He has outlived several family dogs and a few walk abouts, the most recent being about 30 years ago.

“He doesn’t sit on your lap and can’t take him on walk, but he’s a great pet,” Kirby says.

The Smiths have also owned a series of Labradors. Their pictures grace the refrigerator of the Smiths' St. Paul home.

“He's gone through five dogs,” Kirby says smiling. He says the dogs all did their share of barking at George, but, “he got the last laugh by outlasting them.”

In George's life, his species has declined severely in the wild and has become protected and endangered. to have a gopher tortoise now, there are permits and restrictions.

When someone asks what you will do with your pet reptiles when you get old, just pause and think of George and Jenna.

Read the full story and see the video at kare11.com.