Story Archive

Cawt Drunk

“I opened the door, the zebra jumps in,” explained Jerald Reiter. “The macaw loves to go for a ride, so we went for a ride.” Reiter and his pets — he says they’re like friends — went to the Dog House Lounge (yes, really) in Dubuque, Iowa, but after patrons began taking pictures with Pee Wee the Zebra, Reiter said, he was told the animals had to leave the bar. So, he says, he loaded Pee Wee and Izzy back into his truck and started to drive away when a human friend suggested he drive instead; they were switching seats when the police arrived. Lt. Steve Radloff explained that officers were called to look into the welfare of bird and beast, but did not charge Reiter with anything related to animal welfare — just with operating his truck while intoxicated. Reiter admitted having “three drinks” with dinner before leaving the Dog House. (AC/Des Moines Register) ...Pee Wee wasn’t enough of a “friend” to stop Reiter from driving drunk.