A "depressed" ferret that escaped Disney-style from a circus in the East Siberian city of Chita along with a monkey and a red-breasted parakeet has been found, a news report said Friday.
Local resident Ivan Burtsev found the ferret on a Chita street near the Zabaikalye hotel on Thursday night and brought it to the local zoo, the Chita.ru news portal reported.
"He is absolutely tame. He understands how to open doors, and he comes when you tap your leg," Burtsev told Chita.ru, adding that he had been aware of the fugitive ferret from news reports.
The ferret and other animals fled the circus earlier this week because they suffered from depression caused by days of nonstop rain in Chita, the circus' art director, Zhanna Lazerson, said Thursday.
The zoo's deputy director, Anatoly Shelopugin, said the ferret enjoyed a late night dinner Thursday and fell asleep in a cage, Chita.ru reported. He said the zoo was ready to return the ferret to the circus.
Lazerson earlier said the circus wasn't exactly missing the ferret, calling it a "terrible glutton, idle to the core."
The news about the escape has gone viral on the Russian Internet, with many top Russian bloggers posting it and offering sometimes biting commentary on why the animals actually fled. Others have suggested that the escape be made into a Disney or Pixar animated film.
The monkey was found shortly after the escape in a circus doghouse, cuddling with a dog and both sound asleep. The parakeet is still on the run.
Weather forecasts indicate that Chita will continue to be drenched in rain Friday and Saturday.
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