Man gave meth to caged 'attack squirrel' to make it more aggressive
Animal was released back into the wild after police raid on captor’s home in Alabama
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A man kept a caged “attack squirrel” in his apartment and fed it methamphetamine to make it more aggressive, according to police in Alabama.
Detectives are looking for the squirrel’s 35-year-old captor Mickey Paulk, who is wanted on multiple charges including possession of a controlled substance.
Police were informed about the squirrel shortly before executing a search warrant of Mr Paulk’s home in Athens on Monday. The animal is said to have been fed the drug, known as meth or crystal meth, to make it more likely to attack.
Police discovered meth, drug paraphernalia, body armour, ammunition during the search. They also found the squirrel, which officials from the state’s Department of Conservation recommended releasing back into the wild.
The rodent was then set free by police. Stephen Young, a spokesman for the Limestone County Sherriff’s Office, said there had been no way to safely test the squirrel for meth before its release.
Mr Paulk is now wanted by investigators for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and firearms possession, said Mr Young.
Another man was arrested by police in relation to the raid on the Athens home, according to local news channel WAAY-TV 31.
Ronnie Reynolds, 37, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and loitering at a known drug house. He was released from jail on a $4,000 (£3,200) bond.
Additional reporting by AP
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments