Nicole Darrah
Fox NewsTue, 18 Jun 2019 00:01 UTC
© Limestone County Sheriff’s OfficeA squirrel was allegedly fed meth by a man in Alabama so it would stay aggressive, officials said.
An "attack squirrel" housed in an Alabama apartment and fed methamphetamine by its owner to make sure it stayed aggressive was rescued Monday, officials said.
The squirrel was removed from the alleged drug den by investigators following a bust at an apartment in Athens, according to authorities.
One man, identified as Ronnie Reynolds, 37, was arrested at the scene, but the Limestone County Sheriff's Office is still looking for another suspect — the alleged "caretaker" of the squirrel — identified as Mickey Paulk, 35.
The sheriff's office said that prior to the drug raid, officials were told Paulk kept an "attack squirrel" in his home, AL.com reported. It's illegal in Alabama to have a pet squirrel.Officials found the squirrel, and released it into the wild, per a recommendation from Alabama's Department of Conservation."There was no safe way to test the squirrel for meth," the sheriff's office said.Meth, drug paraphernalia and body armor were seized from the apartment.
Authorities urge anyone with information on the whereabouts of Paulk — who's wanted on multiple charges including possession of a controlled substance — to contact the sheriff's office at 256-232-0111.
Comment: Update: June 19 from
Fox News:
Alabama man says 'attack squirrel' not on meth, disputing officials' claim
The outlandish tale of a meth-fueled "attack squirrel" just got even nuttier.
The wanted Alabama man who police alleged fed a pet rodent methamphetamine to keep it aggressive has spoken out while on the lam — and he says his pet squirrel is no druggie.
Mickey Paulk, 35, released a Facebook video on Tuesday — alongside a squirrel — after the Limestone County Sheriff's Office said he was wanted on multiple charges including possession of a controlled substance.
Investigators raided a home in Athens on Monday looking for Paulk after they were told he'd been caring for an "attack squirrel." Paulk wasn't there, but police found another man, who they arrested on drug charges.
They also found the squirrel.
It's illegal to have a pet squirrel in Alabama. Officials said they released the critter into the wild, as "there was no safe way to test the squirrel for meth."
But in his video, Paulk appeared to suggest he was somehow reunited with his critter pal — and not because the squirrel came back looking for a fix.
"They said it was a trained attack squirrel in a residence that was on meth," Paulk is heard saying in the video. "You can't give squirrels meth, it would kill them. I'm pretty sure, but I've never tried it."
Warning: Graphic Language
The 35-year-old said the squirrel is just over 10 months old and described his personality as being "an a--hole, he's a mean motherf-----. No doubt."
"But he's not a trained attack squirrel, and he's not on meth, I'm pretty sure," Paulk said. "I better not find out he's on meth anyway. I don't think he likes that s---. The squirrel is safe. The public isn't in danger in any way from the methed-out squirrel in the neighborhood."
Paulk claimed police invented the story because they were "mad" he wasn't at the home and questioned how he could be charged if he wasn't in the house at the time of the raid, during which deputies said they seized meth, drug paraphernalia and body armor. Paulk said he no longer lived at the home, though, some of his belongings were still there.
He described the situation as a "joke," and assured "the animal lovers out there" the squirrel is doing well.
"Look at the camera, look at the camera, don't squeak at me," Paulk said at the end of his video as he talked to the supposedly sober squirrel.
Comment: Update: June 19 from Fox News: