Escaped prairie dog shows up at South Carolina jail

Authorities in South Carolina said deputies were shocked when an unusual non-native visitor showed up at a county jail: a prairie dog.

The Newberry County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post that the prairie dog was spotted outside the county's Detention Center.

Deputies wrangled the "unusual visitor" and contacted the state Department of Natural Resources.

The sheriff's office initially speculated the prairie dog may have hitched a ride on a passing truck, but later discovered the animal was an escaped pet.

An update to the post said the prairie dog was taken to an animal rescue facility to be reunited with its owner.

The owner said in a comment on the post that the prairie dog is safe at home and exhausted from his adventure in the wild.