More raccoons getting stuck in green bins this year, organization says

CITYnews halifax / By Natasha O’Neill

The summer months are always busy for wildlife rescues in Nova Scotia, but this year there has been an uptick in calls for raccoons getting stuck.

Hope for Wildlife, a rescue located in Seaforth, posted a plea on Facebook for people to make sure their green bins stay closed and secured. One of the most common animals getting stuck in the bins is baby raccoons.

“I’d say the numbers have definitely increased for all different kinds of reasons, but we are seeing even more in the green bins this year for sure,” Hope Swinimer, operator of Hope for Wildlife, told The Todd Veinotte Show.

The rise in raccoons has contributed to the nearly 1,000 patients the rescue has, as of July 11. This year alone, workers have taken in 200 different species, like baby fawns, porcupines and birds.

The organization rehabilitates the animals if they are injured, it does not relocate animals from people’s homes. It can however, provide tips when handling conflicts with nature.

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“Our job is kind of to get as few animals in as possible, by reducing the number of conflicts between people and nature,” Swinimer said.

In the case of green bins, she said that raccoons are attracted to the smell of decomposing food, but when they climb in, the odours can cause them to become disoriented and lethargic. Other times, the sides are too slippery for them to escape.

“Injuries sustained trying to get out often get dangerously infected from the bacteria forming inside the bin,” the Hope for Wildlife post reads. “But it’s not just raccoons. Animals like birds and squirrels can also suffer from being stuck inside.”

Swinimer said people should secure the lid of the green bin with a thick rubber bungee cord so the raccoons cannot chew through it or pull it off.

The increase in raccoons has been a lot for volunteers and workers to deal with, she noted.

“We’ve got the space to accommodate them. We just need the working hands,” Swinimer said. “There’s always a job here, and you don’t need a lot of training. We can teach you what you need to do.”

‘s not just raccoons getting stuck in green bins. (Hope for Wildlife)

(Hope for Wildlife)