Raccoon with paw caught in leg-hold trap reported by residents in Elmer and Kenilworth avenues area of the Beach

By ALAN SHACKLETON

Beach residents are expressing concern after a raccoon was spotted walking with an animal trap attached to its leg.

Residents in the area of Elmer and Kenilworth avenues, just north of Queen Street East, had reported seeing the injured animal in the neighbourhood on Tuesday, May 13.

“The whole thing is so horrible,” said resident G. Lund who was made aware of the situation by a neighbour and then let Beach Metro Community News know.

“I am at a loss for words about this. Who would do a thing like that? Just the thought of this is horrible. It could also injure children or a cat or dog. It’s really disturbing.”

A Facebook post indicated local residents are aware of this injured raccoon in the Beach and have been actively looking to locate the animal since yesterday.

In a Facebook post, a resident said the raccoon had been spotted on Kenilworth Avenue at approximately 8 a.m. on May 13 with a leg trap on its front paw and dragging a chain that was part of the trap.

“We’ve been going up and down Elmer trying to alert people,” said a volunteer with the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) in the Facebook post.

The TWC said it would come out to help with a rescue if there was a confirmed sighting and location for the injured raccoon.

“Also please keep an eye on your dogs if you let them out in your yards as I don’t know if whoever did this has set more traps,” said the volunteer in the Facebook post.

Anyone who spots the raccoon with the trap on its paw is asked to immediately contact the Toronto Wildlife Centre at https://www.torontowildlifecentre.com/request-assist-form/

City of Toronto media relations told Beach Metro Community News in a statement today that Toronto Animal Services has been made aware that there is a possible raccoon with leg trap wandering in the area, but they have not independently confirmed it.

“Staff are monitoring and will respond if/when we have more information, including a possible location,” said the city. “At this time, this raccoon’s whereabouts is unknown. If anyone sees the animal, please call 311 as that will help us to locate and help.”

The City of Toronto does not regulate the use of animal traps as that is the jurisdiction of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, said the city’s statement.

The city’s website says property owners “can trap wildlife using a humane trap or can hire a wildlife agent” to remove the animal.

For more on the city’s wildlife trapping policy, please go to https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/animals-pets/wildlife-in-the-city/wildlife-trapping/

According to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources it “is illegal for any person to possess or use an operable body-gripping trap except a licensed trapper or a person who has been licensed as a trapper in the past five years or a farmer or any member of the farmer’s family who resides with the farmer on the farmer’s property.”

For more on the MNR’s rules regarding leg-hold traps, please go to https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-trapping-regulations-summary