I grew up on a big farm in Indiana, where we had a variety of pets. I had a pet raccoon for a while.
Now I live in the burbs where we have the occasional Trash Panda knock our garbage over. They are a pain in the ass sometimes but not a serious problem, until Tuesday, when I found one sleeping in my garbage can. I tipped it over and chased her out into our backyard, but she didn’t want to leave the garbage can and she was in no hurry to scamper off.
This morning she was back, and when I dumped her out of the can she sat up on her back legs and rubbed her head against my leg, just like Bertha did 50 years ago. She was someone’s pet, which is against the law here, and she thinks she has found a home. I just called home and she is asleep in the bushes in the backyard.
I called the DEC thinking they would come and get her, but they gave me the number of a woman that performs rescues. When I explained what was going on she said if she got involved the animal would have to be put down. Any wild animal that initiated human contact has to be euthanized.
I’m not happy on several fronts. I’m pissed at who ever kept her as a pet and then let her loose, I don’t want the thing hanging out in my yard, and I don’t want it destroyed.
Does anyone have any ideas? If I cage her and go for a ride I would assume she will just find a new house, because she isn’t equipped to survive on her own.
This is exactly why I become angered at people who make pets out of animals that were never meant to be pets, such as raccoons. It’s an “accidental pet” and now, unfortunately, its reliance and comfort with humans has endangered it, all because whoever made an accidental pet out of it found it too bothersome to maintain the relationship. SMH.
I guess you could keep looking for someone, out on a farm maybe, who’d take the animal on? I also commend you for not simply pulling out a .22 rifle and putting it down, either. Maybe your veterinarian has some suggestions?
Trap it, wait till nightfall and drive it over to Oshawa where you dump it? Is that #2 or #3?
That would be number 1 and I wouldn’t choose that. Although last week I found a mouse in my blue bin and walked it down the street and released it. No clue if it became someone else’s problem or if it is smart enough to find it’s way back to my house.
I’d catch her and relocate her. Yes, not ideal, but given your choices, I’d much rather give her the chance to fend for herself, live or die, than euthanasia.
Do a quick craigslist or some other neighborhood website search to see if someone is missing their trash panda. Maybe they didn’t intentionally get rid of it.
LOL. Not really what I’m looking for, but I will keep it in mind.
I just called my local vet and I’m waiting on a call back. I live on Long Island, where zoos, farms, etc., are not real plentiful. One of my co-workers suggested a burlap bag, a brick, and a drive across the Great South Bay as a solution at lunch. That is more or less what I’m trying to avoid.
I thought about driving her out to the Pine Barrens but it would be my luck that I would drive through a sobriety check and … That conversation would be uncomfortable at the least.
Have you tried calling her a Trash Panda to her face? Maybe she’d be insulted, get the hint that critters of her ilk aren’t welcome 'round these parts, and wander off elsewhere?
Have you tried calling her a Trash Panda to her face? Maybe she’d be insulted, get the hint that critters of her ilk aren’t welcome 'round these parts, and wander off elsewhere?
The first one isn’t especially close to you, but the second one is on Long Island.
Good suggestion with the animal sanctuary ideas. Its sad when a typically “wild” animal becomes dependent on humans for survival because someone decided to make it a pet. You never know, that Trash Panda may have been found as a baby Trash Panda and never had a mother to teach it to survive in the wild. If that is the case, it is completely dependent on humans and only has two choices to survive: either you take care of it or you find an animal sanctuary who will care for it. Any other choice, you are basically committing it to death (probably a slow death by starvation) and euthanasia may actually be the least cruel option
I’d catch her and relocate her. Yes, not ideal, but given your choices, I’d much rather give her the chance to fend for herself, live or die, than euthanasia.
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There are multiple problems with this. No area is in need of more raccoons. You run a risk of spreading disease. In many places this is illegal.
I am as much on an animal lover as there can be. There really is only one solution to this and it is the on the OP is trying to avoid. The choice was made by the person who made this into a pet. Now you are stuck cleaning up their mess.
I’d catch her and relocate her. Yes, not ideal, but given your choices, I’d much rather give her the chance to fend for herself, live or die, than euthanasia.
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There are multiple problems with this. No area is in need of more raccoons. You run a risk of spreading disease. In many places this is illegal.
I am as much on an animal lover as there can be. There really is only one solution to this and it is the on the OP is trying to avoid. The choice was made by the person who made this into a pet. Now you are stuck cleaning up their mess.
Have you tried calling her a Trash Panda to her face? Maybe she’d be insulted, get the hint that critters of her ilk aren’t welcome 'round these parts, and wander off elsewhere?
The first one isn’t especially close to you, but the second one is on Long Island.
Bingo and Thanks. Volunteers for Wildlife gave me the number of a professional tracker on the Island. I called her and explained the problem. She met me at the house over lunch and the raccoon was still asleep in the bushes. She picked her up, put her in a box, and drove off. It is my understanding that she will go to a volunteer vet to be checked and assuming she is healthy she is going upstate to a new home.
Problem solved and thanks to everyone for the help.
Have you tried calling her a Trash Panda to her face? Maybe she’d be insulted, get the hint that critters of her ilk aren’t welcome 'round these parts, and wander off elsewhere?
The first one isn’t especially close to you, but the second one is on Long Island.
Bingo and Thanks. Volunteers for Wildlife gave me the number of a professional tracker on the Island. I called her and explained the problem. She met me at the house over lunch and the raccoon was still asleep in the bushes. She picked her up, put her in a box, and drove off. It is my understanding that she will go to a volunteer vet to be checked and assuming she is healthy she is going upstate to a new home.
Problem solved and thanks to everyone for the help.
Doesn’t sound like much tracking was required.
Glad it had what looks like a positive outcome. Hopefully the new home is not the local furrier.
