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Squirrel uses backyard pool in Derry to do laps

DERRY, N.H. (MyFoxBoston.com) – A Derry resident has a regular visitor who enjoys her backyard pool, but this critter is not normally seen in the water.

Jennifer Lague's friends were a bit worried about her when she told them that a squirrel was taking regular dips in her pool, the Eagle Tribune reported. She decided it was necessary to capture the moment with her camera so her friends would reconsider committing her. She missed the first and second time, but was able to snap a photo the third time the squirrel returned.


Her dogs Skye and Rory first noticed the squirrel and barked at Jennifer to let her know about the intruder in their backyard. The squirrel then bolted across a railing, jumped on to her deck, dove in the water, swam to the other side of the pool and then ran up a tree, the Tribune reported.

Lague is convinced that the same squirrel continues to return time after time, and says she's lived in that home for 15 years and has never seen a squirrel in her pool before.

According to the Eagle Tribune, animal control officers and biologists were taken aback by the swimming squirrel. While the critters are known to swim, N.H. Fish and Game Wildlife Biologist Kim Tuttle wasn't convinced that a squirrel would jump into a pool just to do some laps.

"If they can't easily get in and out, something's amiss," Tuttle told the Tribune. "We have reports of squirrels drowning in pools all the time because they can't get out."

For more: eagletribune.com