Raccoon caught roaming freely in woman’s yard rescued

By Filipa Gaspar

A raccoon has been rescued after being spotted roaming freely in a woman's garden in England.

The animal triggered a 'raccoon hunt' in Gwennap after first being seen last week.

It was filmed on the loose in Hayley Fairburn's garden when she was at home.

The mammal, who weighs three times its normal weight he should at 11.2 kilos is now at RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre.

He is getting the care he needs before he will be heading off to a permanent home.

Hayley, 36, filmed a video of the mammal and sent it to her partner which then ended up with RSPCA Cornwall.

Hayley said, "My dog started going crazy and I thought he was seeing a cat.

"I was very shocked to find a raccoon in my garden.

"I thought I was losing my marbles. We don't get them in the UK so I started looking for information online.

"I have seen them in the past because I spent a lot of time in the US and Central America.

"I am not sure where it came from. It might have been someone local who kept it illegally.

"I am hoping someone can find out where it came from in case there's more."

Local resident Lucy Cox described how she helped the raccoon after spotting him through a window.

She said: “I saw the raccoon on the road and went out to make it safe, eventually managing to corral it in a neighbor's greenhouse.

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“In the meantime, another neighbor, Hayley, had seen the raccoon in her garden and taken photographs and film and put them out on the local community group, appealing for help as she was concerned for the animal.

“As a result of the post, Allison and her family attended the area to look for the raccoon. Although the raccoon was safe, Allison was able to contact a RSPCA officer for assistance, which was invaluable.”

RSPCA Animal Rescue Office Abi, who rescues animals across Devon and Cornwall, said it was the first time she’s been called to help a raccoon.

She said: “We’re so grateful for everyone who gave him a helping hand, including St Clement Vets and their head nurse for dropping everything and joining me and allowing me to hold the raccoon there overnight.

"Great teamwork! It means everything to be able to help him to safety.”

“We’re never quite sure who’ll need our help next so we’ve just launched our urgent appeal - The Big Give Back to Animals - in the hope of raising vital funds to keep our frontline teams rescuing animals, like this raccoon, through the cold winter months.

“It was a bit of a surprise to get a call about a raccoon. It was certainly a first! I find myself helping all kinds of animals, some who are sadly in awful conditions, suffering cruelty, neglect and abandonment, and it’s always an honour to be able to help every animal to safety but it’s always extra special when it’s slightly unusual like this rescue.”

Raccoons are native to southern Canada, most of the United States, Central America and northern parts of South America.

Abi added: “Raccoons are wild non-domesticated animals and providing for their welfare needs in a typical household environment is difficult, which is why we do not recommend them as pets.

“Raccoons kept in captivity need lots of space within a secure enclosure and need to be provided with furnishings and enrichment to allow them to carry out their natural behaviour, such as climbing.”

The RSPCA is really concerned that the animals continue to be kept as pets in England & Wales.

Raccoons are on the GB list of invasive alien species, due to the risk they pose to our native wildlife.

There are strict restrictions on keeping these species and they can no longer be legally bred or sold.

Anyone who already owned a raccoon before the regulations were introduced (in August 2016) is allowed to keep the animal for the rest of its natural life but must keep them in a secure enclosure.