Escapee raccoons tempted back by hot dogs

Two of three raccoons which escaped in Sunderland have been found, but one is still on the run.

A trespasser let the animals out of their enclosure at Sunderland Training and Education Farm before Christmas, and they were spotted by people in the Pennywell area.

On Friday night, Rocket and Pinch, the two female raccoons, could not resist the temptation of hot dogs left in a crate on the farm and were safely transferred to their newly-secured enclosure.

But the male raccoon Meeko remains at large.

Volunteers from Raccoon Rescue UK have been looking since before Christmas using humane traps which look similar to a slimmed down dog crate. They have food at one end and a trigger pad in the middle, which when pressed closes the crate door.

They have used kibble, fruits, nuts and the trio’s favourite treat of hot dogs to entice them back.

But Iain Jenkins from the group said it had not been a smooth ride, as they were outsmarted last week.

“They came (the raccoons) on Thursday evening and being quite intelligent animals, they managed to get the food by tipping the trap over and accessing the food from underneath,” he said.

The following day the team secured the empty trap the wall, ready for Friday’s recapture when they were caught “red-handed”, he said.

Mr Jenkins believes they are close to catching Meeko too.

“This time of year he will want to be where the females are," he said.

"So his nose as well as his instincts will lead him back. It’s looking pretty good. I don’t think they’ll be a raccoon on the loose in Sunderland for much longer.”