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A Washington woman’s home was reportedly surrounded by nearly 100 raccoons, and the recent incident was caught on camera.
According to USA Today, the incident occurred on Thursday, October 3. The outlet reports that footage captured “nearly 100” raccoons swarming an unidentified woman’s house “in broad daylight.”
The woman called 911 and told deputies that the raccoons had been gathering in her backyard for about six weeks.
Furthermore, she reportedly explained she had been feeding raccoons on her property for over 38 years.
“Somehow the word got out in raccoon land, and they all showed up to her house expecting a meal,” Kevin McCarty, a spokesperson for the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters, per PEOPLE.
According to the outlet, as the weeks passed, the raccoons were reportedly becoming aggressive. This prompted her to call the authorities.
“She said the normal raccoons are nice, but the new ones scare her,” McCarty added per USA Today.
Per USA Today, the woman said the animals would “scratch on windows or walls at all hours of the day,” apparently wanting to be fed.
On Thursday afternoon, around 1 p.m., the woman was finally able to leave her home after deputies arrived at the scene.
According to the outlet, the Kitsap officers informed the Department of Fish and Wildlife about the animals. Additionally, the department connected the woman with its “wildlife control operators.” USA Today notes that the operators deal with smaller animals and usually capture them to be “released on-site… euthanized and properly disposed of.”
Furthermore, Bridget Mire, a spokesperson for the department, reminded the public to refrain from feeding the wildlife. This reportedly prompts animals to congregate and possibly attract predators.
As of Tuesday, October 8, USA Today has not received an update on the status of the raccoons.
