In Sunderland, the hunt for three escaped raccoons continues, with two of them, Rocket and Pinch, successfully recovered after they succumbed to the lure of hot dogs left in a crate on the farm where they had been spotted. However, Meeko, the male raccoon, remains elusive.
The raccoons made their daring escape from Sunderland Training and Education Farm before Christmas, after a trespasser let them out of their enclosure. Despite sightings in the Pennywell area, Meeko has evaded capture thus far.
Volunteers from Raccoon Rescue UK have been diligently searching for the fugitive raccoon since before Christmas, using humane traps baited with kibble, fruits, nuts, and their favorite treat, hot dogs. While they have had some success in capturing Rocket and Pinch, Meeko has proven to be a cunning adversary.
Iain Jenkins from the group recounted their efforts, noting that the raccoons had outsmarted them last week by tipping over the trap to access the food from underneath. Undeterred, the team secured the trap to the wall in preparation for Friday’s recapture attempt, which proved successful as they caught Rocket and Pinch “red-handed.”
Despite Meeko’s continued evasion, Mr. Jenkins remains optimistic about their chances of catching him. With the breeding season upon them, he believes Meeko will be drawn back to where the females are, making their capture imminent.
As Mr. Jenkins confidently asserts, “It’s looking pretty good. I don’t think there’ll be a raccoon on the loose in Sunderland for much longer.”