Chrissy Chin and her family made an unexpected friend on their farm in Langley this year.
One evening around 7 p.m., Chin saw some baby squirrels come down from a tree. One came into her home and fell asleep. After noticing the squirrel was weak and had wounds on its face, Chin contacted the and the for advice.
They recommended the squirrel, who Chin has named Samuel, be bottle-fed with puppy formula.
Chin cared for Samuel; she let him outside every day to see if it was his time to return to the wild. After three or four weeks, Samuel decided he was ready for life outside and built himself a nest in Chin's garden.
Although Samuel is now "totally self-sufficient," he still loves to come into Chin's home for cuddles with his favourite human friends.
Chin and Samuel's friendship formed from a unique circumstance; however, it's important to remember that it's illegal to keep squirrels as pets in B.C., she says.
"He wants to be free but ... he's really affectionate. He nibbles on our hands and he never bites. He never attacks us," Chin told Glacier Media. "It's the wildest experience I've ever had."