2023 Animal Stories Magazine

Page 39 2023 Animal Stories Lincoln Daily News February 22. 2023 Lucky the squirrel is the winner of the Non-traditional Pet category. While he is a pet at the moment, his pet parent Matthew Evans says that when the time is right, Lucky will go back outside and return to his natural environment. Lucky was rescued as a baby along with his sister, by Matt. His sister didn’t make it, but Lucky has thrived in Matt’s care. And, he has become as friendly as any dog or cat. He loves to come out of his cage and visit with Matt, knowing that there will probably be a special treat involved. Lucky lives in a squirrel house inside an extra-large cage. Matt said he has built several squirrel houses for outdoor use, and when he thinks Lucky is ready, he will set the little creature up with an outdoor house and let him come and go as he pleases. Matt said his gift card would be spent on wild animal food. He buys sunflower seeds and other goodies for Lucky as well as his outdoor squirrels. A special thank you to Farm and Home Supply in Lincoln, the sponsors of the 2023 Animal Stories Pet Contest. And a very special thank you to all those who entered the contest this year. The photos were wonderful and plentiful. Each animal entered is featured by category in the pages to follow. Non-Traditional Pet Lucky