FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- A Fayetteville couple has taken in a raccoon they rescued from inside the walls of their home in March 2016.
Brittany Cusanek and her fiance Jeremey Brown named the ball of energy Leroy.
"I heard whimpering and I did not really know what it was," Cusanek said. "I just started listening and going around the wall. I realized what had happened and I realized there was something in the wall."
The couple said Leroy was part of a raccoon nest in their attic, but he fell in between one of the walls. Cusanek said she had to cut a hole in the wall to get him out and the baby racoon has kept the couple on their feet ever since.
"He's constantly active, especially the fact that he's a baby, he's keeping us on our toes and constantly watching him and making sure he's not destroying things," Cusanek said.
According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, it is legal to own raccoons.
Leroy has been to the park, on hikes and camping trips, which allow him to climb trees and enjoy nature. Cusanek said he always follows them when they are outside.
Brown said it took some time to get used to all the attention he gets when he goes out with Leroy.
"Children start to stalk us and follow us around, go to our campsite, bring their parents, 'There's a raccoon,'" Brown said. "So that's different, because they don't do that when you have a dog."
The two said it has been a learning process, but Leroy is not going anywhere.
"It's fun. It's different. It's like having a cat, a dog and a monkey all in the same package," Brown said. "I can only assume that having a child would be a little bit easier."
The two have set up an Instagram account that tracks Leroy's adventures.