An Albion resident opened her blinds on Friday morning to see an unmoving raccoon laying in her yard with a dart sticking out of its back, and a blood trail showing how the animal had travelled around her yard before finally succumbing to its wound.
"There's blood everywhere on the concrete in my backyard," said Marzena Ziccarelli. "It's so inhumane, I feel terrible."
She lives in the 24000-block of 102A Avenue, and notes there have been a lot of trouble with raccoons in the neighbourhood. Last summer, a raccoon had killed household cats and even attacked dogs, and people had expressed frustration. In a report in The News in July, one woman referred to a raccoon as "an insane serial killer."
"But to take it to this level – it's a bit much," said Marzena.
"It was very disheartening to see," echoed her husband Vince. "That's unacceptable."
Marzena called the SPCA, and they agreed to remove the animal and investigate. She said she hopes they can find the culprit.
An SPCA spokesperson said there are companies which specialize in live trapping and relocating wildlife, and that is the approach homeowners should take with nuisance animals.
More details as they become available.