Joe scooped her up with a net while Mr. Anderson tossed her grapes as a distraction. This young female raccoon is now at our Center and will have the opportunity to live her life as intended. Just a few days after our rescue of the Hernando County orphan, I was called to Mt. Dora to pick up a young raccoon. The neighborhood residents had observed and adult raccoon out in the daytime off and on for a few weeks and made the fateful decision to call animal control. The raccoon was trapped and euthanized.
Education is our best defense against such needless death.
The Andersons have shared this story in their homeowner s association newsletter in hopes of educating the residents so this does not happen again. In Mt. Dora, I talked to all the neighbors that were available and explained why the adult raccoon was seen during the daytime and what will be done if animal services or a trapper are called. Hopefully, these folks will spread this knowledge and the situation can be handled differently next time. If trapping and relocation of an animal is absolutely necessary, wildlife rehabbers will gladly assist if called. The rehabber will check to see if a nursing mother has been trapped and then will help in locating the babies, trying to preserve the family.