NEW YORK STATE, USA — The New York State Department of Conservation has issued a request to not paint squirrels.
Yes, squirrels.
The tweet posted said: "Never thought we'd have to say this but DON'T PAINT SQUIRRELS!" and went on to explain what exactly happened.
On December 23, Environmental Conservation Officers met with Putnam County SPCA regarding an incident where a suspect had been painting squirrels red and releasing them into a nearby park.
While conducting surveillance of the area, a bright red squirrel was seen crossing the street a block away from the suspect's home.
Eventually, the suspect admitted to trapping the squirrels and painting them as a method to keep track of which ones were returning to his yard causing his dogs to bark. The suspect was ticketed for violations related to trapping, transporting, and liberating wildlife.
They were also charged for the mistreatment of animals. The DEC's tweet regarding the incident can be viewed below.
