Hatched and raised in NYC, Henry was a teenage tortoise when he stomped into my life as a foster pet. I created the Instagram @TheNotortoiseBIG to share his daily antics and “shell puppy” personality, slowly and steadily growing a following.

When spring came early in March 2016, I posted a Craigslist ad looking for a tortoise walker to take Henry to Central Park on weekdays. The post went viral. Henry and I were mentioned on Good Morning America, interviewed on BBC Radio and local news, and covered by hundreds of media outlets around the world. CBS Evening News followed the tortoise walker interview process, and The New York Times joined Henry and his new walker on one of their first outings.

Henry became Instagram’s first tortoise micro-influencer, with regular features on The Dodo and partnerships with brands including Cadbury, Universal Pictures, Mazuri, Cold Picnic, and Chewy. The Notortoise BIG was a 2020 Shorty Awards nominee for Best Animal.