Imagine explaining THIS to US customs

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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:47 pm

Would love to be a fly on the wall when they drive up to the customs check and get asked "what do have to declare?"

Good samaritans offer California skunk a ride home
Thu Jan 18, 6:58 PM

MONTREAL (AFP) - A California skunk that hitched a ride aboard a commercial truck to Canada this month has found safe passage back home after causing a stink here.

"We do have a confirmed ride to California for the little skunk," said Nathalie Karvonen of the Toronto Wildlife Center, which cared for the animal during its Canadian stay.

The four-pound (1.8-kilogram) female had traveled nearly 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) in five days without food or water in a sealed container, arriving in Canada slightly dehydrated but otherwise unharmed.

Canadian wildlife authorities believe it fell asleep in a large rubber pipe that was loaded onto the big rig in Torrance, California, in late December.

But they struggled to arrange a return trip for the critter because airlines and trucking firms were concerned it might get spooked en route and release a torrent of stench.

It would be illegal to release a foreign species in Canada. Anyhow, it would probably die in a scrap with its bigger Canadian cousins if released here, Karvonen said, explaining that skunks are very territorial.

And, euthanizing a healthy animal was not an option, she insisted.

A California radio host, Tracy Nealy, and her producer Ryan Miller finally heeded a plea for help, agreeing to come get the skunk and drive it back home, Karvonen said.

They are expected to pick up the black and white skunk at the Canada-US border near Buffalo or Detroit in about 10 days, she said.

Their return route is being plotted and other arrangements are being made to feed and care for the critter along the way.

However, Karvonen could not guarantee a stink-free trip.

Although the skunk traveled all the way to Canada without incident and "sprayed only a little bit" when it first arrived at the temporary wildlife refuge because "there were a lot of needles being stuck in her and a lot of scary stuff" happening, "you can never make promises when it comes to wild animal," she pointed out.

Copyright � 2007 Agence France Presse.

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:53 pm

I smell something funny with this story........

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:59 am

I agree, it is a bit on the nose...

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:43 pm

Most interesting.

Thank you and regards,

Won Luong Pong

Master Baiter Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 101

Yeah, I was sent a bulletin on this! One of my MySpace friends is an animal activist and she wrote the bulletin to see if anyone would be interested in helping get this little petunia home. Glad to see someone is helping out! Laughing

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