Raccoon on the loose, DoA warns

A raccoon, which escaped from a shipping container Friday morning, is now on the loose in West Bay, the Department of Agriculture said.

It was one of two raccoons that originally escaped.

In a brief statement, the DoA warned members of the public to beware of the raccoon which escaped in the vicinity of Republix Plaza in West Bay.

“The raccoon is one of two which escaped a shipping container from the United States. One was trapped. Food from the container has been dumped in light of possible contamination,” the DoA said.

Responding to Compass queries, a spokesperson for the DoA said while they could only speculate about how the raccoons came to be in the container, the “most likely scenario” was that the nocturnal raccoons entered the container, which “was partially or fully loaded but left open at some point. The raccoons entered undetected seeking food and were then trapped when the container doors were closed for shipping.”

Members of the public are urged not to approach or touch the animal which could be dangerous to humans or pets.

“It may be tempting to try and pet a wild animal but we are warning the public not to do so as the raccoon could be carrying diseases such as rabies, and are known to be aggressive. Raccoons are nocturnal [and] attracted to food waste and garbage. Residents in the area are asked to report any sightings of the raccoon to the Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services,” a DoA representative said in the statement.

At this time, the DoA said, the department is working in conjunction with Department of Environment and Department of Environmental Health to capture the animal.

Asked by the Compass what might happen to the captured animal and the other raccoon, if caught, the DoA spokesperson insisted the “first priority is to ensure the safety of the public and the fauna, animals of this island”.

“As such, once the animals are captured it is essential to determine the disease status of the animals, critically if they could be carrying the rabies virus. The Cayman Islands is a rabies-free territory and it is essential that we ascertain as quickly as possible if this status has been compromised,” the spokesperson said.

Members of the public can contact DoA Veterinary Services at 916-5435 or 947-3090, or call 911.