Raccoon deaths prompt B.C. SPCA investigation

The B.C. SPCA is probing allegations that a Vancouver Island man killed two raccoons with a hockey stick.

Witness James Adams, who lives in the Victoria suburb of Esquimalt, said he saw his neighbour bludgeon the two raccoons and throw their bodies into a bush on Sunday night.

"I heard the mother squealing and then he came over and he opened the garbage can and then pulled out the baby and the baby was still alive," said witness James Adam.

"I saw him hit the baby at least 10 times with the hockey stick."

Adam said he believes the man was angry because the raccoons are constantly getting into his unsecured garbage cans.

Erika Paul, an SPCA animal protection officer, attended the scene and found the bodies of an adult female and a young kit.

Paul is also a special provincial constable and can enforce any laws pertaining to the humane treatment of animals.

She said the most important piece of her investigation is how the raccoons were killed.

"Raccoons are considered pests under the Wildlife Act. People do have the legal right to terminate a raccoon that is damaging their property [but] if they do decide to terminate, it has to be done in a humane method," she said.

"I don't believe bludgeoning falls under the category of humane legal standards, so that's what we'll be investigating here."

Paul said the cause of death won't be known until a post-mortem exam is completed.

Paul said her office gets a lot of phone calls from people who suspect their neighbours are trapping and treating wildlife inhumanely.

She said all such calls are investigated to determine whether or not an offense has been committed.

To avoid the problem altogether, Paul said it's important to eliminate attractants like garbage and fruit on the ground.

She also said residents should refrain from feeding raccoons.

For those looking to remove pests from their property, Paul recommends hiring a wildlife control company to set a live trap and remove the unwanted visitor.