Fruitville Raccoon Removal [News Blog] ‘Throttle’ the raccoon rescued from under hood of vehicle

By  | hharris@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group

‘Throttle’ the baby raccoon rescued Friday morning by Emeryville police, gets fed at the Berkeley Animal Shelter (photo courtesy of Berkeley Animal Shelter). 

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EMERYVILLE — A baby raccoon that stopped traffic after climbing its way into the engine block area of an SUV waiting at a stoplight was rescued Friday morning by a veteran police lieutenant.

Lt. Fred Dauer, a 22 1/2 year Emeryville veteran, said it was the first time he has rescued a raccoon, which was later named “Throttle” at the Berkeley Animal Shelter where it was taken.

Dauer was on patrol  just before 11 a.m. Friday when he saw traffic stopped at the intersection of Powell and Hollis street, with people standing around using their cellphones and a woman sitting on the curb.

He first thought there had been a traffic accident but then learned  that the driver of an SUV stopped for the traffic light on Powell believed a raccoon he had seen in the street had gotten into the engine compartment and was trapped. “The poor guy couldn’t move because there was a raccoon in  his car,” Dauer said.

Dauer opened the hood open and saw the raccoon, which was later determined to be a male between five and six weeks old with the mask-like striping.

Dauer got a pole with a noose that is used to contain animals from his police vehicle, and was quickly able to snag the raccoon and get it out of the vehicle.

Thoughts that it may have been hit and injured by a vehicle earlier were quickly dashed, as the tiny animal “was fighting pretty good,” Dauer said.  “He was pretty fiesty.”

Dauer put the raccoon in some bushes and waited for Berkeley Animal Services to arrive to take it to their shelter, since it was way too young to be released on its own. Emeryville normally contracts with Piedmont for such services but there were no Piedmont workers available Friday so Berkeley was notified.

Veteran Berkeley animal control officer London  Rivera responded to the scene. She was able to get the raccoon to come to her by making a cooing noise similar to what an adult raccoon would. “He may have thought I was his mom,” said Rivera, who was the person who later named him Throttle.

 

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She said Throttle would remain at the shelter until Saturday, when he would be given to the Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue and Education Center in San Francisco to get ready for his return to his natural environment.

She said she was “not sure what happened to (its)  mom or how he got into the engine block” but he had not suffered any injuries and was drinking milk.  “He’s doing great, eating well. He’s sucking on the bottle.”

Nuisance Wildlife Removal Inc is fully licensed and insured. We are a locally and family-owned business that has been operating in Manatee and Sarasota county for 20 years. We are the real experts and have the experience to prove it. Call today to speak with a trusted professional. 

To read part II of our Raccoon FAQ installment series “Are Raccoons Dangerous During the Day?” click here

To read part I of our Raccoon FAQ installment series “How to Get Rid of a Raccoon?” click here

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