A ferret named Dumpling is back home with his family after getting lost in the great outdoors, Cheyenne Animal Control says.

According to a press release, the saga began on the Fourth of July, when Dumpling went missing.

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Then, shortly before 5 p.m. on July 15, Officer Nguyen was called to a report of a ferret stuck inside a covered window well.

Nguyen safely transported the ferret to the Cheyenne Animal Shelter and asked the vet staff to examine it.

"The neutered male ferret was in good condition besides being dirty from hanging outside," Nguyen said. "As soon as the animal care staff set up a kennel with food and water, the ferret immediately scarfed everything down!"

Cheyenne Animal Control
Cheyenne Animal Control
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Two days later, Dumpling's owner called the shelter to see if they had any ferrets available because Dumpling's ferret sister, Noodle, started showing signs of depression.

Staff informed her that a stray ferret was brought in from the area where she lives, and she was able to confirm that it was Dumpling!

"(Dumpling and Noodle) are eating and playing like normal again, and our three girls just cried when they found out he's home," she said. "Our family is full again. Thank you soooo much!”

Cheyenne Animal Control
Cheyenne Animal Control
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“Dumpling was able to be reunited with his family thanks to the concerned individuals who reported him to be in their window well,” Nguyen said. “Reporting stray animals in a pinch or running at large is crucial for reuniting lost (or even abandoned) animals.”

Since his ordeal, Dumpling’s owner has started calling him “Fievel.”

“If only he could talk. We'd love to hear the tale," she said. "Again, a huge thank you to Animal Control and the Cheyenne Animal Shelter for recovering our baby!”

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Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.