Giant rat-like creature, armadillos, hundreds of squirrels removed from Midlands home

Hundreds of animals, including an exotic and invasive giant rat-like creature and hundreds of squirrels, were rescued from crowded, inhumane conditions in a Midlands home, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

In addition to a nutria — a non-native animal that looks like a mix between a beaver and a rat — armadillos, several deer, more than 200 squirrels, and many other small mammals were either roaming free or being kept in cages stacked in the living room of a double-wide mobile home in Lee County, DNR said Wednesday in a news release.

The animals were discovered when SCDNR conservation officers served search warrants related to the illegal possession of white-tailed deer at the property on Tuesday, according to the release.

After the shocking discovery, two women, Laura Ross and Nicole Lafaivre, were arrested on multiple charges and are being held at the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center while waiting for a bond hearing, jail records show.

“Right now, our number one concern is the welfare of these animals,” SCDNR Deputy Director of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Emily Cope said in the release. “It’s a very challenging situation to deal with, mainly because of the sheer number of animals that were being kept on this site, and the deplorable conditions that existed there. We are working with (the Lee County Office of Animal Control) to determine the best way to move forward on this, and the help we’ve gotten from local veterinarians has been invaluable.”

SCDNR officials said they have been working with animal control officers and staff, county animal shelter staff, and local veterinarians to find safe living arrangements for the confiscated animals until they can be tested for diseases and other health issues.

After the confiscated animals are studied on a case-by-case basis, species native to South Carolina that are found to be disease-free could be released into the wild, SCDNR said.

That will not be the case for the nutria.

Nutria, about 20 times the size of rats with sharp buck teeth, are considered an invasive species because they love to eat marsh plants and dig through earthen dams.

Possession of nutria in South Carolina is potentially a violation of state laws that restrict the importation of non-native wildlife, SCDNR said. If nutria become established in a new area, they can cause immense damage to crops and vegetation and destruction to the banks of ditches, lakes, and other water bodies, as well as causing permanent damage to marshes and other wetland habitats, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture .

Weighing up to 20 pounds, nutria have been marching across the south since they were imported to Louisiana from South America in the 1930s largely because of their valuable pelts. While every state in the Southeast has verified the presence of nutria, sightings in the Palmetto State are rare.

As of 2017, there had only been one confirmed report of a nutria in South Carolina. It was documented in a 2010 report from Horry County.

“Every now and then, somebody will say they think they saw one, but that’s about it,’’ SCDNR wildlife biologist Jay Butfiloski previously told The State. “It’s almost like finding Bigfoot.’’

Information on what will happen to the nutria confiscated from the Lee County home was not available.

If convicted, Ross and Lafaivre face serious consequences.

Ross was charged with multiple drug crimes, charges of possessing deer illegally, wildlife importation violations, and possession of endangered wildlife, jail records show.

In addition to one count of ill treatment (torture) of animals, Lafaivre is also facing charges of possessing deer illegally, and wildlife importation violations, according to jail records.

“SCDNR takes the inhumane treatment of animals very seriously,” SCDNR deputy director for law enforcement, Col. Chisolm Frampton, said in the release. “It’s heartbreaking when our officers encounter a situation like this, and we greatly appreciate the assistance of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and all of the other agencies and individuals involved. It’s important for us to be clear that this kind of treatment of wildlife will not be tolerated in South Carolina.”