Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Wildlife authorities in Tennessee were called out to rescue an unusual escaped pet: a porcupine.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said officials responded to a report of an exotic animal on the loose in Knoxville and arrived to find the purported prickly perpetrator was an escaped porcupine.
The TWRA took the porcupine to the Young-Williams Animal Center for care while attempting to locate the animal's owner.
"While porcupines are Class 3 animals in Tennessee (no permit required), it's crucial for exotic pet owners to keep them properly contained," the TWRA said on social media.
The post said exotic animal owners should be aware that escaped pets can damage the local ecosystem and could be harmed themselves by wild animals or domestic pets.
