Vancouver, Wash. – Animal Protection and Control officers have responded to several recent incidents around Vancouver involving raccoon and cat deaths, where evidence indicates the animals ingested an unidentified poison.

A number of raccoons have been killed and placed in Fircrest Park in central Vancouver. Officers have recovered the bodies of multiple cats and raccoons, apparently poisoned, near downtown and in east Vancouver. Another raccoon was found alive in an illegal leg hold trap that had become lodged in a backyard fence on the east side of the city.

The number of incidents has Animal Control staff concerned. While it’s unknown if all of these cases of animal cruelty were intentional, Animal Protection and Control Manager Susan Anderson reminds residents that the aforementioned methods of dispatching pets or wildlife are illegal in Clark County and the state of Washington.

“Death from poisoning in this manner is extremely painful, and using poison or body gripping traps is considered inhumane,” Anderson notes. “Persons found to be responsible for these acts may be charged with animal cruelty.”

Clark County Animal Protection and Control is asking anyone with information about these or similar incidents to contact the agency at 564.397.2488.

For more information on laws pertaining to “nuisance” wildlife, check out the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/living/. The site also features many useful tips for living with wildlife.

CONTACT
Susan Anderson
Animal Protection and Control manager
Community Development
564.397.4705
susan.anderson@clark.wa.gov