Forget Paw Patrol: RCMP in P.E.I. spend weekend on flipper and hoof patrol

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police on P.E.I. didn't get their man this past weekend. Instead, they were in pursuit of land and sea animals that had decided to hit the road.

The RCMP send out a news release late Monday describing some wild events that began Friday evening when a young seal was spotted on Route 18A in southeastern P.E.I. 

"It proceeded to engage in a game of 'why did the seal try to cross the road' right in the middle of Murray Harbour rush hour," the police news release said.

Traffic stopped until the police arrived to escort the "unco-operative" seal back to the nearby seashore, issuing only a warning.

But it wasn't long before the Mounties were called out again, a few short hours later, for another dry-land seal sighting. This time, the news release said, the fugitive from the ocean was in Beach Point, "going down Route 107, presumably heading to Murray Harbour."

Officers responding to the alert, "now experienced seal wranglers," brought the flippered critter to a more natural habitat.

The Prince District officer found himself engaging in an impromptu game of 'piggy tag' as he corralled the runaways and escorted them back to their barn.— RCMP news release

The next call came on Sunday afternoon from Wilmot Valley, near Summerside, "this time involving a band of four escaped pigs," according to the news release. 

"The Prince District officer found himself engaging in an impromptu game of 'piggy tag' as he corralled the runaways and escorted them back to their barn," the news release said.

In a momentary return to seriousness, the RCMP release added: "Police remind Islanders to call the police if you encounter animals that are a hazard on P.E.I. roads."