'Lizard' alert for Scottish SPCA was otter ornament

The Scottish SPCA was called out to rescue a lizard - which turned out to be an ornamental otter.

The animal charity received a call from a woman in Aberdeen on Tuesday reporting an unusual reptile in her cat shelter.

Animal rescue officer Karen Hogg said: "Someone must have placed the garden ornament inside as a joke.

"This job can be very tough, so it's quite nice when something like this makes us smile."

It is not the first case of mistaken identity the Scottish SPCA has dealt with.

In 2012, a snake alert turned out to be a draught excluder.