(Memphis) Memphis Animal Services showed up to a man’s East Memphis home because of his dogs Tuesday morning, but instead, they found an unusual, exotic animal.
It was something they’d never seen before.
It happened in the 1100-block of South Perkins near Dee street.
Memphis animal services wanted to know what the animal was and how it got into the home.
When they couldn’t find the person who lives inside, they tracked down the owner’s friend.
“They said, ‘if you can’t find him, we’ve already contacted the Memphis Zoo and if he can’t get here before the warrant gets here then they’ll kick in the door and take it’,” said Zach Stark.
But officers left. Pet owner Mason Gudelsky then showed up a short time later and found the note they wrote, “It says to call about my pet.”
With nothing to hide, Gudelsky made the call and explained the critter is a coatimundi. He described it as a South American raccoon.
“Me and my ex-girlfriend, well she wanted a cat, and then we found that and thought it would be a lot more fun,” he said.
He bought the unusual animal on craigslist for $325, even gave it an unusual name.
“Archelo fettucini,” Gudelsky said, but he calls him Archie for short. “He likes spaghetti and meatballs.”
Once officers showed back up, Gudelsky proved that Archie was legal and he had all of his shots.
It’s a headache he hopes is over for good, one he would have missed out on if he bought a cat instead.
“He`s a wild one but he`s a lot of fun,” said Gudelsky.
The pet owner was not ticketed because he had the proper paperwork, but he is required to send it over to Memphis Animal Services so they can keep it on record.
