TORONTO, Ont. — The Toronto Wildlife Center is seeking a trucker willing to transport a special (and potentially smelly) passenger to the US West Coast. A skunk was mistakenly loaded within some pipe in California and shipped into the GTA in early January.

Now, wildlife officers are hoping it can hitch a ride back to California, and a truck seems to be the most viable option.

“It is a perfectly healthy animal who’s just gotten away from its home territory,” says Nathalie Karvonen, executive director at the Toronto Wildlife Center. “Certainly, to euthanize it just because she doesn’t have a ride home is not a nice option for us.”

The skunk can not be released into the Canadian wild because it would violate federal and provincial laws regarding the importation of foreign animals. Since the skunk found its way to Ontario via truck, it seems like the most viable option for returning it to its home, says Karvonen. However, she adds, there’s no guarantee it won’t spray.

“We can never give a no-spray guarantee, of course,” she admits. “It would have be somebody who would be prepared for that possibility.”

If you’re heading to California and willing to deliver this unique freight, call the Toronto Wildlife Center at 416-631-0662.

– With files from Reuters