During a drug-related arrest in Florida last weekend, police officers made an unexpected discovery: a baby raccoon nestled inside the suspect's backpack. The Clearwater Police Department shared the surprising find on social media, accompanied by a video of the tiny raccoon chirping at the officers. The department quipped, "You never know what you'll encounter as a police officer."

The raccoon, estimated to be about a week old, was taken to the Veterinary Emergency Group in Tampa for a health check. It will receive care alongside other young raccoons until it's ready to be returned to its natural habitat. The incident occurred when officers stopped Lindsay Rodewald, 43, around midnight on Saturday for riding her bicycle without headlights. After obtaining consent to search her backpack, officers discovered the raccoon and a broken glass pipe, which later tested positive for methamphetamine. Rodewald claimed she had "forgotten" the pipe was in her bag.

This unusual incident follows other recent raccoon-related news stories, including one about a raccoon falling through a classroom ceiling in a Texas high school overrun with the animals and another about a North Dakota woman receiving probation for bringing a wild raccoon into a bar. Rodewald now faces charges of possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use.

Image caption: A baby raccoon was discovered in a woman's backpack during a drug arrest. (Clearwater Police Department)