Officer Responds to Wild Critter Call; Ferret OK
A Riverside County Animal Services officer retrieved an abandoned ferret today at Banning City Hall.
Officer Eric Mangum responded to the call and spoke with city employees about the dumped critter. He reviewed video surveillance footage to see if the person or their vehicle could be identified. Abandoning an animal is a misdemeanor offense.
Apparently, someone left a crate of some type at Banning City Hall (99 E. Ramsey St.) sometime in the early morning hours Tuesday. A city employee told Officer Mangum that the crate was left at approximately 2:30 a.m. Employees later discovered the crate contained a ferret.
Ferrets are illegal to own in California. Officer Mangum is working with a warden with the state Department of Fish & Wildlife to find a suitable rescue organization to care for the animal.
“Apparently, the ferret loves french fries,” Officer Mangum said. “Whoever abandoned the animal left bunches of fries. They look like McDonald’s french fries.”
