Who doesn’t miss their pets while on vacation? If you can take them along to a critter-friendly locale, that’s excellent. If you can’t, it’s better to find a sitter. And if you’re trying to smuggle your pet turtle onto a plane inside a hamburger, it’s time to rethink your entire life.

A man was caught doing just that over the weekend on a flight from Guangzhou to Beijing. He tried to conceal the animal by hiding it in a hamburger from KFC. Yes, KFC has burgers in China. Unfortunately, inspectors happened to notice little bumps that looked like limbs sticking out of the burger. Turtles may be delicious, but that’s not how you would serve a turtle burger. “There’s nothing special to see inside,” the man insisted, but airport staff insisted on opening up the burger. There was his “beloved” pet turtle.

They finally convinced him that turtles weren’t allowed on board planes and that usually they’re happier in a tank of water rather than between two buns. He got a friend to look after his pet and left for his trip all alone.

Man tries to smuggle turtle onto plane by hiding it in a hamburger [South China Morning Post]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.