It seems that 55-year-old Jerald Reiter simply had to go to his favorite Des Moines-area bar, the aptly-named Doghouse Bar, but couldn't find a sitter for his zebra and macaw. Already some three sheets to the wind, Reiter had the thought to just take the wild animals for a joy ride.
The bar owner had other plans, however, and refused to allow Reiter to bring his exotic animals inside, stating hygiene laws as a valid reason for the refusal, as food was being served that evening. Reiter decided to head back home when local police spotted the car and pulled him over.
Reiter says that he realized he was too drunk to drive shortly after getting in the vehicle and that he was getting out to let a human passenger take the wheel when the police stopped to question him. He was arrested for drunk driving after he failed a field sobriety test with a 0.148 blood alcohol level, which is well above the 0.08 legal limit.
Apparently, Reiter and his wife treat their exotic animals as their children. Reiter was booked for DUI at the local jail, while the animals were released on their own recognizance...
