Rotting racoon dangles from Toronto shed for days, irking residents

John-Peter Dobie climbs a ladder on top of the garage behind his Maybourne Avenue home in East York.

He points out the carcass of a dead racoon hanging vertically from the top of a shed less than a metre from his property line.

There’s a pungent, unmistakable smell wafting from the animal, which has been decomposing for four days.

Dobie and his wife typically spend their summer evenings in the backyard, but since the rotting raccoon has been roasting in the summer heat, that’s not possible.

“The (last) four nights, we’ve been inside,” said Dobie, who contacted Global News out of frustration.

The stranded raccoon got hung up in the wood exterior of the shed on Friday. By Saturday, it was struggling, but alive.

Dobie recorded video of the animal and got in touch with the owner of the property, who lives nearby, and with the city of Toronto.

“We contacted the neighbour, contacted the city and they said they can’t do anything about it. An hour later, the raccoon died,” Dobie said.

Brad Gates, founder of Gates Wildlife Control, visited Dobie’s home with Global News.

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“It was easily solvable had someone responded quickly enough,” Gates said, after viewing the area where the animal perished.

“If we had got the call we would have cut the wood to let it out.”

But the dead raccoon was on the neighbour’s property, a home construction project that began more than six years ago. Dobie was powerless to do anything on his own.

When Dobie contacted 311 Toronto, he was advised by email that: “Unfortunately, Toronto Animal Services does not collect wildlife from private property.”

Dobie said he asked the neighbour and contractors working on the property several times to remove the animal.

He even posted a notice on the neighbour’s door, including a photo of the deceased animal with this text: “Please remove this dead animal which is clearly visible from our yard. It has been there since July 5 and the smell has gotten so bad. This is a serious health hazard. We have a baby. We cannot use our yard.”

He said he got no response.

When a Global News crew arrived at the neighbour’s home on Wednesday, the owner of the property was standing on an adjacent driveway.

“I don’t want talk to you, please get off my property,” said Alex, who refused repeatedly to give his last name.

Asked by Global News why he hadn’t removed the dead raccoon yet, Alex offered this explanation.

“I’ve been busy,” he said, as he clutched two large garbage bags and headed to the backyard.

Global News returned to Dobie’s yard on the other street to watch as Alex climbed a ladder and pulled down the dead animal.

If contacted, the City of Toronto will dispose of dead animals free of charge if they are wrapped up in bags and left on the curb.

Professional wildlife companies can also be contracted to remove animals from someone’s property and, for a fee, they will also dispose of the remains.

“Look for companies that offer a free estimate, you want someone onsite to look at it,” instead of giving a blanket estimate over the phone, said Gates, whose company has been in business for 41 years

At this point, Dobie and his wife are grateful they can make use of their back yard again in a neighbourhood populated by large numbers of raccoons.

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