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
