Animal Control Report: Raccoons Continue to Create a Stir in Alexandria

Animal Control officers in Alexandria deal with a variety of calls every week. Here's a glance at some recent incidents in the city courtesy of Patrick Egan of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

Raccoon tub — Raccoons continue to create quite a stir in Alexandria, or in the very least continue make life a little more interesting.

Recently, an Animal Control officer was called in because raccoon fell and it couldn’t get up.

On Aug. 16, an officer was dispatched to the 1600 block of Crestwood Drive because a raccoon was trapped in an outdoor trashcan.

The resident was too afraid to approach the occupied bin, so it phoned in the professionals.

Upon arriving on the scene, the officer tipped over the receptacle and the raccoon darted into the unforgiving Alexandria wild.

Earlier this month, an Animal Control officer confiscated a pet raccoon in Del Ray. Officers have also responded to calls this year involving ring-tailed bandits holing up in SUVs and taking strolls through King Street Metro Station.

Great Blue Heron goes for a swim — On Aug. 15, an Animal Control officer was dispatched to the 200 block of Cameron Station Boulevard because a Great Blue Heron had landed in a swimming pool and, despite several attempts, couldn’t be convinced to fly away.

People on the scene expressed concern that the long-legged bird was injured.

When the officer arrived on the scene, he attempted to capture the heron in order to take it to a wildlife rehabilitator.  

Following a single attempt at capture, the heron flew away under its own power.

For more information about Alexandria Animal Control, visit the AWLA website.