A Washington state woman has been feeding raccoons for over 30 years, but recently the number of visitors has skyrocketed to hundreds, leading to concerns about property damage and the spread of disease.
A Washington state woman has been dealing with an unusual problem for the last six weeks: hundreds of raccoons have invaded her yard, leaving her overwhelmed and concerned.
The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office received a call from the woman in Poulsbo, Washington, last week, reporting the critter invasion. Officials said she told them she had been feeding the raccoons living around her home for the last 38 years, but up until six weeks ago, she stated that only a dozen or so would come to be fed.
Raccoon Invasion Overwhelms Washington Woman's Yard
"For some reason, 6 weeks ago the number of raccoons that were showing up increased to over 100. The woman said they must have started inviting friends," said Kevin McCarty, Kitsap County Sheriff's Public Information Officer.
McCarty said the woman did not report any damage on her property, but said the raccoons scratch around her house and bug her all hours of the night until she throws food out to them.
Raccoon Invasion Overwhelms Washington Woman's Yard
"Anytime she comes out of her house, they swarm her until she throws them food. The normal raccoons that she feeds are nice, but the new ones showing up scare her," McCarty said.
McCarty urged people not to feed wildlife, no matter how cute they are or how much they beg.
Raccoon Invasion Overwhelms Washington Woman's Yard
"Raccoons are wild animals and feeding them can be unhealthy for them. Wildlife experts say having a large number of raccoons gathered together can also spread disease among the animals," McCarty said.
He added that raccoons can be aggressive, so it's wise to give them space and let them find food and shelter on their own, in the wild.
Raccoon Invasion Overwhelms Washington Woman's Yard
The woman was referred to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to help find a solution to her problem. A spokesperson for the WDFW told Fox News Digital that Kitsap 911 sent the report to their WILDCOMM Communications Center.
The WILDCOMM team referred the resident to wildlife control operators in her area, and she said she was working with a trapper, the department said. However, their wildlife conflict specialists and enforcement officers were not dispatched.
The department also echoed McCarty and said their wildlife conflict specialist for Kitsap County is attempting to reach out to the resident in case he can offer any expert guidance, but did not have an update on the situation.
"We discourage people from feeding wildlife, as this causes them to lose their natural fear of people, which can lead to aggression. It also draws animals together, possibly mixing healthy and sick animals and spreading diseases among them," said Bridget Mire, Coastal Region Communications Specialist.
Mire added that some wildlife, like raccoons, can carry diseases that may be transmissible to people and pets and said that feeding wildlife also may attract predators, such as coyotes and bears.
The woman is now working with a trapper to remove the raccoons from her yard and prevent them from returning. She has also been advised to stop feeding the animals, which has been a difficult decision for her after so many years of providing them with sustenance.
