ROCK HILL, SC (CBS Local) – The owner of a “flying squirrel” in South Carolina was arrested after she allegedly left the rare pet alone in a hot car.
Amanda Davis of Rock Hill, South Carolina was charged with ill treatment of an animal after the woman’s roommate called police and said the squirrel had been left in the backseat of Davis’ car. Animal Control officers said the temperature in the car reached 114 degrees before they were able to free the animal from its cage on April 30.
Authorities added that the flying squirrel was also left in the car without food or water. York County Animal Control decided to file charges against Davis after determining that the rare pet’s owner “inflicted harm upon the animal,” according to The Herald.
The squirrel was taken by animal control officers, however Davis was told she would be able to get her squirrel back at a later date, according to WFMY. Sugar gliders have an average lifespan of five to seven years and are in the same marsupial family as kangaroos. It’s recommended that the fast moving animals only be let out of their cages under close supervision.