Missing pet skunk reunited with owner after being found 18 miles from home

A pet skunk who escaped from his enclosure on a farm in Devon last month has been reunited with his owner.

Two-year-old skunk Barney was found trapped in an outhouse in Wellington, Somerset, on Tuesday 1 July, after having been missing for nearly three weeks.

Barney managed to travel around 18 miles during the time he was missing, even crossing the border from Devon to Somerset.

Barney was initially mistaken for being a badger, but when a response driver from Secret World Wildlife Rescue turned up to the outhouse they realised the trapped animal was in fact a skunk.

“This is not the first time we’ve had reports of a skunk on the loose," said George Bethell, from SWWR.

"Last year, there was a skunk seen in Bridgwater High Street - likely another escaped pet. So just because it is black and stripey, doesn’t always mean it is a badger."

The charity said it was "remarkable that Barney had managed to find food for so long after going missing."

=After being rescued, Barney was taken to Mount Vets in Wellington, where members of staff remembered seeing news reports about a missing pet skunk and were able to get in touch with his owner, Michele Cooper.

• Watch the moment Barney was rescued

Michele Cooper, of Kentisbeare, said she was "absolutely shocked" to receive the call, as they hadn't had a sighting of him for over 24 hours.

She added: "We were so excited to see him. We really couldn't wait to travel down to Mount Vets to pick him up!"

George Bethell, Learning and Engagement Officer at Secret World Wildlife Rescue said: "You never know what to expect when going out to rescue an animal, but even we were surprised to hear it was a skunk.

"We are glad Barney has been reunited with his owner and that Secret World could play a part in his return."

Since Barney was found, Michele Cooper has received over 200 calls from well-wishers prompting her to set up a Facebook page for Barney where she'll be sharing his adventures.