The animal lashed out at the elderly, children and pets too.
ADVERTISEMENTA squirrel injured multiple people and some pets over two days in the town of Buckley in northeast Wales, UK, before being captured.
On Boxing Day, local residents started reporting to each other about a vicious squirrel that stopped some of them from even leaving their houses. They called the creature "psycho", "foul, cruel, bad-tempered rodent" and "karate bitey squirrel," but actually it was named Stripe after an evil character from the movie “Gremlins.”
"Warning. Vicious squirrel that attacks has bitten me, attacked my friend Kev when he came to my house, has bit Scott Felton who lives near me, and multiple other people," wrote Nicola Crowther on Facebook. "Dare not go out of my house, as it’s lurking…"
Reportedly the squirrel attacked at least 18 residents in just 48 hours, some of whom even posted their injuries on social media.
While you stay home, animals roam free in our towns and cities
Buckley resident Corinne Reynolds, who had befriended the squirrel previously, recorded a video about the animal just days before its behaviour changed.
“He really has only just had altered behaviour the last four or five days. I noticed he was acting a bit erratic, hence why I felt he had ongoing issues inside,” said Reynolds.
She eventually captured the squirrel in a humane trap and it was taken in by the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) where it was put to sleep after a veterinary examination.
The organisation said it had to put down the squirrel as it is illegal to release a grey squirrel back into the wild. RSPCA also deters people from feeding squirrels or any wildlife.
“I am sad at the ending,” Reynolds said. “But due to the number of people being attacked, and my grandson, who’s only two, playing in the garden, I couldn’t risk him being bitten.”
Watch the video about the squirrel above.
