‘Not emotionally prepared’ neighbors find ‘escape artist’ pet lurking in garage

A pet owner’s neighbors had a fright when they found an “escape artist” hiding in their garage, Colorado officials said.

Sophie, who is not “your average sunbathing gecko,” is a very large Tegu lizard with “confident swagger” that got out of her plexiglass enclosure after seeing a minor gap, according to a June 24 Facebook post by the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.

After bending the plexiglass like “she was Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson,’” she found her way into the home’s backyard before slipping under the fence, the Colorado Springs animal shelter said.

Sophie ended up in a neighbor’s garage, hidden behind old Halloween decorations as she “tried to lay low,” the shelter said.

That’s when the neighbor, “not emotionally prepared” to see Sophie, found her next to their leaf blower, the shelter said.

They “kept their cool” and called animal law enforcement who responded to the home, the shelter said.

The “quick thinking” officer turned two trash lids into “medieval shields” and managed to guide Sophie into a container without injury, the rescue said.

She was taken to the shelter and the shelter posted her photo to their website in hopes her owner would see it, the post said.

Eventually, Sophie’s owner spotted her on the website and he “rushed to the shelter,” the rescue said.

When Sophie saw her owner, she “immediately relaxed” and eventually the two went home, the shelter said.

Although the shelter said they’re grateful that she was reunited with her owner, they ask Sophia to “stay put,” the post said.

Colorado Springs is about a 70-mile drive south of Denver.