Residents of a North Wales village can finally breathe easy, knowing a “bloodthirsty” critter is no longer on the loose.
According to the Evening Standard, the small town of Buckley spent days living in fear of Stripe—a grey squirrel named after the main antagonist in the 1984 movie Gremlins. It’s reported that the animal terrorized the village during the holidays, injuring multiple pets and biting at least 18 people over a 48-hour period.
“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,” Nicola Crowther wrote via Facebook on Dec. 26. “I’m afraid it needs shooting, and I’m an animal advocate, would never normally say that, but it’s also attacked my two Bengals, who fear nothing, and my neighbours Bengal cats….not fun. Dare not go out if my house, as it’s lurking…”
Other residents took to social media claiming to have been bit by the furry animal, and even went so far as to post photos of their bloody injuries. The EV also points out that some of these victims went to the hospital for tetanus shots after sustaining bites and scratches.
Stripe’s rampage finally came to an end when Corrine Reynolds lured it into a cage using its favorite snack, peanuts. She then called authorities, saying she had successfully captured the squirrel and had placed its cage in her bathroom. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals came to her home shortly after and took it away.
The EV reports the RSPCA then examined the animal before putting it down.
“We were incredibly sad to have to put this squirrel to sleep but were left with no choice due to changes in legislation in 2019 making it illegal to release grey squirrels back into the wild,” the nonprofit organization told the BBC. “We do not agree with this law and opposed it, but legally we have to comply. There are numerous ways to humanely deter grey squirrels and we would urge people not to trap them as it is now illegal to release them into the wild and the only option is to put them to sleep.”
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