A New York man and lady face fines of $500 every after they took a raccoon to a pet retailer to buy meals and a retailer employee ratted them out, authorities mentioned.
A state Division of Environmental Conservation police officer bought an pressing name from the Erie County Division of Well being a few probably rabid raccoon on June 2, the division mentioned in a information launch.
The well being division mentioned a pair had introduced a raccoon to a pet retailer for meals and provides and a retailer worker contacted authorities. Raccoons are thought-about harmful wild animals as a result of they’re recognized to hold and transmit the lethal rabies virus.
The officer used retailer surveillance video, a store-issued rewards card and license plate data to find the couple within the city of Attica in western New York, the division mentioned. The homeowners turned the raccoon over and have been every charged with unlawfully possessing a wild animal, which is topic to $500 advantageous, authorities mentioned.
The raccoon that was confiscated from the couple was euthanized and examined for rabies — a take a look at that may solely be carried out on an animal after it has died. The take a look at was unfavourable, the DEC mentioned.