Police released a video Monday showing about 100 raccoons begging for food on the front lawn of a Washington woman’s home.
According to the Kitsnap County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), the woman had been feeding the raccoon without incident for “almost 40 years” until the end of August. The woman called police on October 3 after being surrounded by “nearly 100 animals” and seeking refuge in her car from “furry and very hungry animals.”
The footage includes still photos of county deputies investigating the raccoon infestation, and then shows one of the officers speaking with the woman. He asked her when, after years of feeding the animals, the problem would “explode.”[d] Like this. “
“Six weeks ago,” the woman said.
On Patrol: Raccoon Invasion pic.twitter.com/5pAUE761Nk
— Kitsap Sheriff (@KitsapCoSheriff) October 7, 2024
The woman claimed that the beasts “often surround her day and night, demanding food.” (Related: Video of raccoon running around soccer field during game)
“They are [the deputies] “We were shocked,” KCSO spokesman Kevin McCarty said. According to Go to King 5 News. “They had never seen so many raccoons in one place. No one remembers ever being surrounded by a group of raccoons. This was a first.”
McCarthy added that no one was bitten or injured in the incident.
“I’ve only noticed it in the last month or so,” local resident Wendy Cronk said of the raccoon, according to King 5 News. “I recently had some raccoons in my yard. My dog has gotten into a few scuffles with the raccoons. I had to take my dog to the vet after struggling with the raccoons. Also, I’ve noticed more raccoon attacks on the highways here.
KCSO said in the video that the woman tried to get help from a trapping organization to relocate the hungry raccoons, but the offer was $500 per animal. Lawmakers referred her to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to address the issue. In the meantime, Mr McCarthy said people should avoid feeding wild animals.
“It’s very simple,” McCarthy said. “Don’t feed wild animals. Once wild animals have a reliable food source, they’ll come back to it. And that’s until the number of raccoons expecting a meal gets out of control. That’s what these raccoons did.”
