Do you think the Animal Control Officer could have handled this situation with more diplomacy?
Good intention gone all bad.
As an animal lover it is hard to accept how this all played out, not knowing if the raccoon was sick or just old, execution in my front yard. Blood stained grass left as a reminder.
Last evening I had a raccoon hanging out in my yard, they come and they go as raccoons do. However, this one was hanging out, for what seem to be hours. I like raccoons. I even like opossums. Nevertheless, since I recently adopted a very large dog, Lola, the dog made new rules (just last evening) no racoons or opossums allowed in her yard. And it is LOLA’S yard, make no mistake. Lola was not happy with this disobeying raccoon, not following her rules. Lola bolted to chase him out, two hairs away from a scuffle; I snatched up Lola and put her in my house. Fearing the worst for both parties I called Animal Control. Perhaps the raccoon had lost his way or bumped his head, or he was not thinking clearly coming into Lola's yard. Coming in and staying.
Animal control arrived; I expressed my concerns as I let him in the backyard. Perhaps the raccoon was just old or not feeling good, The A.C.officer said he was going to remove him from my yard. I was concerned for the the well-being of animal control officer and the raccoon. At one point, there was a scuffle, but the raccoon was leashed and off they went. The A.C.Officer did not know if he was sick or what.
I no sooner closed my front door than I thought I heard a gun shot, My eyes caught my daughter’s eyes and we were in disbelief. I threw open the front door to catch a glimpse of a door being close on the animal control truck, as he drove off I did not want to believe the Raccoon had been executed in front of my house ,but with flash light in hand , the puddle of blood, spoke volumes. As I sit this morning looking out my side window I see, the blood stained patch of grass as a reminder that some how my good intentions went all bad!
I sat reflecting on the fact that in August when Lola was just a rescue dog waiting for a home, she slipped out of my yard, I was not home. The police responded, (animal control were busy, I guess) so the Police Tazered my Lola, she went down lost consciousness, requiring medical attention. I was angry; Lola was the weight of a 4 year old, not a full-grown man, excessive force. I thought they should have waited for an Animal Control Officer, as if they would tranquilize her.............OMG Lola probably would have been executed on the spot, thank God they were busy or late.
Lola may have side affects from being Tazared, BUT she is alive,which is more then I can say for the raccoon!!!
