DUI Charges Against Man and…Parrot…and Zebra?

When police stopped Jerald Reiter driving his car away from a bar, they found something in the front seat that was definitely unexpected.

Reiter told the cops his zebra and macaw enjoy going for rides in his truck, so he brought them to the bar, which he says usually allows animals inside,  KCRG-TV reports.

When officers arrived on the scene, they stopped Reiter in the parking lot as he was driving his truck away. Field sobriety tests found he had a blood alcohol level of .14, nearly twice the legal limit, according to police.

His girlfriend, Vickie Teters, told KCRB the animals are like their children, and do everything with them. “They love going for rides. They’re just a part of the family,” Teters said. “They were not left alone in the car, not even a second.”

Reiter also disputes the drunk driving charge, saying he realized he was too drunk to drive, and was about to let a passenger take the wheel when he was arrested.