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Live raccoon in front of the Gap

Overmatter reports on a seemingly drunk raccoon in front of the Gap in Central Square last night - which made it fit in perfectly with the community of perpetual drunks who normally hang out there:

... "Seriously!" he said. "Walking down freakin' Mass. Ave.! A big-ass rac-damn-coon!" ...

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Comments

i saw one walking down the middle of comm ave in newton one rainy afternoon several years ago.it was raining and the racoon looked very disheveled.he was practically walking sideways. i was worried he might be rabid.

i called 911 and they told me not to get too close but try to keep him in sight until they arrived.i just sat in my jeep and followed him up comm ave towards boston college.he turned into one of the sidestreets.the cop showed up pretty quickly.she got out of her cruiser and came over to me. i showed her where the racoon was. he had gone into the front yard of one of those big beautiful victorians on comm ave.the cop and i walked into the yard and saw that he was just sitting in the corner.she told me to stay where i was and that she was going to the cruiser to get some equipment.

she returned with one of those poles with the loop on the end for catching dogs.she walked over to the racoon and put the hoop over his head. he immediately started to struggle.she asked me to step back.THEN SHE TOOK OUT HER 9mm HANDGUN AND SHOT THE RACOON IN THE HEAD. she threw his limp body into a little cage and put him into the trunk of her cruiser.she thanked me for calling and left.i was stunned.i couldnt believe she just shot the little sucker.so, if you're a racoon, you're rabid and you find yourself in newton, make sure you're wearing a bulletproof vest, and helmet.

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If you're a raccoon and you're rabid, then you're probably suffering and not long for this world anyway.

It's also a huge public safety risk.

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Yes, unfortunately, a drunk-looking, disheveled raccoon that's wandering down a city street can pretty safely be assumed to be seriously sick and most likely rabid. I sympathize that it's extremely traumatic to see a police officer shoot an animal in the head, but I can believe that it was the safest, most humane way to deal with a potentially dicey situation.

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I think I've only seen a raccoon once in Cambridge.

Thankfully, I don't see rats in Cambridge nearly as much this last year as I used to. Maybe the new rules for trash cans helped.

I see skunks a few times a year in Central Square and Area Four. They're often not afraid of humans.

One night this summer, I was backing away from one skunk on a side street off Magazine St. in Cambridgeport, when *a second skunk* appeared in the other direction, boxing me in. Fortunately, there was a small parking lot or driveway there, so I could move away from the street and wait them out.

A couple years ago, I was walking with a new friend after dark along Highland in Cambridge, showing her around the neighborhood, when we saw a cat angrily confronting a skunk on the edge of the sidewalk in front of us. This is when a leisurely stroll abruptly becomes running.

And of course, there are the times when something smells like a skunk, but it might just be smoke from someone's party.

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...there are some many racial overtones and jokes to this story, I won't even make one.

Except...was the raccoon wearing any Adidas or collecting a welfare check?

You may not like my humor, but I don't like your idea of what important news is. Don't worry, I'm sure someone will screw up the drupal config again...

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