A young raccoon in Barnstable, Massachusetts, survived an intense rescue mission after getting its head stuck in a storm-drain grate. It arrived at Cape Wildlife Center with the metal still attached.
Here's what to know
When the call came in about the trapped raccoon, the veterinary team at Cape Wildlife Center was already busy with three other emergencies, according to Popular Science.
Instead of freeing the animal on site, crews from Bourne's natural resources, fire/rescue and emergency services, police, and public works departments worked together to remove the grate from the ground, bringing the raccoon to the hospital still stuck in the storm-drain piece.
After sedating the raccoon, staff at Cape Wildlife Center freed its head in under 10 minutes using an unexpectedly simple setup: canola oil and plastic garbage bags.
The raccoon does not appear to have major injuries and can move its neck and limbs, although its condition is being further monitored in an outdoor enclosure. Cape Wildlife Center said the team also performed a full exam and administered rehydrating fluids and anti-inflammatory medications.
More background
Storm drains, fences, and roadside barriers are built for neighborhoods and traffic flow, not for curious animals trying to squeeze through them.
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A trapped animal may panic, defend itself, or run into traffic if it escapes while injured.
What's being done?
The rescue effort was split between Bourne agencies, which handled the extraction and transport, and the wildlife center, which took care of the raccoon's sedation, treatment, and recovery.
"In our line of work it sometimes takes a village to do what we do and this young raccoon had so many people fighting to save him today," Cape Wildlife Center wrote in a social media post.
"When they arrived at the hospital we were ready with meds to sedate the poor raccoon. We did not know how long he had been stuck like that and could only imagine how exhausted and scared he was."
Where can I learn more?
Ordinary infrastructure and discarded household items can easily trap or injure wild animals. Other rescue stories have involved raccoons getting trapped in drains, stranded near homes, or hampered by plastic waste until someone stepped in.
• In Connecticut, firefighters found a freezing, mud-caked baby raccoon in a storm drain.
• At a family home, fat raccoons kept stealing birdseed and required repeated rescues.
• Residents spotted a raccoon with a plastic jar on its head.
A quick, coordinated response can be really important when a curious animal gets stuck.
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