Jonathan Ross Prompts Animal Welfare Abuse Probe
Updated : Mar 27, 2009
Jonathan Ross prompted a police raid on a wildlife sanctuary after joking that its staff had abused a dormouse.
The star, 48, displayed a photograph of the creature to a live TV audience, which he claimed had been manhandled inappropriately. He suggested the dormouse, pictured sleeping peacefully in a rose, had been woken from its hibernation for the photo shoot - an offence under the Animal and Welfare Act.
Millions heard the quip after it was aired on BBC1's Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. Amazingly, some viewers believed him and rang police.
When an officer went to investigate at the Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre in Somerset, staff were horrified considering they had originally saved the dormouse, which they named Dreamy, from a greenhouse covered with wounds thought to have been inflicted by a cat.
Spokesman Jamie Baker said: "We told them the dormouse had never been woken up. I think people meant well but they should have got the whole story first." Avon and Somerset Police later confirmed a complaint had been made and an officer sent out to investigate. A spokesman added that no offence was committed.
VeryHappyPig says some people obviously know a joke when they hear one!!
