4 Baby Squirrels Found with Their Tails Braided Together and Vets Believe It's Animal Abuse

Photo: Kensington Bird and Animal Hospital

“We cannot stress this enough: PLEASE LEAVE WILDLIFE ALONE!!!” the Kensington Bird and Animal Hospital in Berlin, Connecticut — which lies south of Hartford — write in aFacebook postlast week.

“They are all alive and on their way to recovery. Unfortunately their tails are broken and may need to be amptutated [sic]. Thank you to the kind hearted person who found them and brought them in to be cared for.”

The 6-week-old squirrels also had broken bones in their tails, which had been braided together symmetrically, the outlet reported.

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“Animal abuse is never ok,” the hospital’s post continued. “If you see something please report it!”

The animal hospital clarified in its post that while tail knotting does occur naturally in the wild sometimes, that was not the case with these squirrels.

Veterinary technician Anthony Dibella told CNN that when tail-tangling happens in the wild, it turns into more of a sticky blob, often thanks to sap that leaked into their nest. But Dibella told the outlet that “there was no sticking factor, which is why we think this was done purposely.”

Now, the squirrels are eating on their own and should be able to return to the wild, Dibella confirmed, adding that the hospital reported the incident to local animal control and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protections.

“Squirrels revert back to the wild easily. The big factor is how well they can function without the tail,” Dibella said.

source: people.com