A woman was charged by authorities after she brought a wild raccoon she named 'Rocky' into a bar.
Erin Christensen, 38, was charged on counts of misdemeanour after health officials were forced to warn those who came into contact with the animal about possible exposure to rabies.
State epidemiologist Amanda Bakken said: "Because rabies is such a serious disease with a nearly 100 per cent fatality rate, we are making this information available to the public as a precautionary measure."
Around 10 people were in the Maddock Bar in North Dakota, in the US, at the time according to bartender Cindy Smith, who claimed she asked the woman to leave on September 6.
She told the Bismarck Tribune: "We finally got her out with it, and that’s all that happened. It never left her arms one time, and there was absolutely no biting.
"I had no idea what she was thinking."
Sadly, the raccoon was euthanised even though it tested negative for rabies. Christensen accused the police of using "excessive force".
Court documents say Christensen "did conceal from law enforcement a non-domesticated raccoon" and "did not disclose the location" of it.
An upset Christensen said that "too much was done to detain an innocent raccoon".
"They were not worried about the health of us if we had rabies or not," she added. "They were worried about finding and killing Rocky and putting me behind bars."
According to court records, Christensen is charged with three counts including false information to law enforcement, tampering with physical evidence and unlawful possession of fur-bearers.
The charges against her carry a fine currently equivalent to just over £6,500 and a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
Her arraignment is at Benson County court and is due on October 10.
A GoFundMe page was set up by Christensen's family in the wake of that charges and they plan to "donate a majority of the money to wildlife rehabilitation centres and something in memory of Rocky".
The family statement said of the lost raccoon: "Rocky was just a few months old, he was the sweetest most loving little boy ever who everyone loved, there was never a dull moment being around him
"He was so dang smart and always happy, he thought he was a kitty most times, he loved taking baths, cuddling, jumping around like a little bunny, he never stopped using his hands he was always messing around with something cotton candy was his favourite, he had his favourite stuffed animal teddy bear that he was always cuddling with."
A total of $4,410 of a $10,000 goal has been raised so far, equivalent to over £3,800.
One donor put up a very generous $500 (£434), while another said: "As the king of the food chain we should show a little respect while wielding [our] power."
Christensen added: "Let’s talk about Rocky, who is the real victim of in this victimless crime. Rock was found on the side of the road, approximately three months ago, in the evening.
"There were no signs of animals or a den in the culvert so we knew he had been abandoned... We were working with him to rehabilitate him to the wild."
