This raccoon might regret eating that extra food from the trash can. Especially after recently becoming trapped in a sewage grate.
No one is sure how this chubby raccoon ended up stuck in the grate, but rescuing it was going to prove to be quite the feat. When the not-so-little critter was first spotted in Zion, Illinois, the person didn’t think that the raccoon was stuck. However, the next morning, the animal was still there.
It’s unclear how long the big raccoon had been stuck, but it was certainly in distress. A man named Rudy told his kid to grab a few pieces of bread to try and lure the animal out; it was obvious at this point that the raccoon couldn’t budge.
The poor raccoon’s belly was wedged in between the grate and curb; a local man decided to call the police for help after failing in his attempt to free the animal.
When the police arrived and saw the chunky critter’s predicament, they realized they didn’t have the tools or skills to safely remove the raccoon, so they called animal control for assistance. Animal control, however, had trouble freeing the raccoon as well!
After multiple attempts by multiple people and city workers with no luck, they decided to call the Public Works Department. When they arrived, they were shocked to see just how large the raccoon really was.
The Public Works Department worker said he had never seen a raccoon that big in his life.
“He was a Goliath,” Josh Behling said with a laugh.
As for how the raccoon ended up in this predicament, the Public Works Department said that they would generally use the sewers as a highway to get around the area. Behling, however, was surprised that the raccoon attempted to squeeze out from such a small opening.
All three rescuers wanted to make sure the giant raccoon was unharmed, so they needed to pop off the entire grate to free him.
Once the grate was removed and the critter realized it was free, it wasn’t exactly keen on sticking around; the raccoon immediately retreated back into the sewage tunnels with a frantic squeal of terror mixed with relief.
The rescuers aren’t sure if the raccoon is male or female, so it is possible that it was pregnant. Whatever the case may be, everyone, including the raccoon, is very glad that they are free.
The police department took to Facebook to share news of their unique call that day.
The news and rescue footage of the memorable incident is certainly something you don’t see every day.
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