Little animal makes big mess in Georgia home

Couple returns from vacation to discover damage

ATLANTA, Ga. (KYMA, KSWT, KECY) - A family returned from their holiday vacation to discover some serious damage done by an uninvited guest in their Atlanta home.

Kari and Dustin Drees say the alarms kept going off while they were away. Police responded, but didn't see anything wrong - from the outside.

The Drees opened their front door to discover a major mess. The found wood chippings all over the floor. Their baseboards and window frames were all chewed up, and there were animal droppings everywhere.

Then they discovered the culprit fairly quickly - a squirrel got trapped inside their home. Evidence suggests it came in through the chimney.

"You can like see footprints and soot all over. It goes behind this mirror, there's droppings all along the mantle." said Kari Drees.

She believes the squirrel tried to get out of the house the same way it got in. She thinks when that escape plan failed, the animal went a little crazy. Then, apparently, it just made itself at home.

Kari points to a cozy spot on their couch. "And this is where the squirrel had made its little nest."

Homeowners insurance won't cover the damage because squirrels aren't considered vermin. The Drees will have to repair windows, floors, walls, and a whole bunch of furniture before they move back in. They'll also need a professional cleaning.

They're staying in a hotel until the squirrelly situation is resolved.