Toronto's raccoons are known to be iconic little troublemakers, stealing snacks from our kitchens, wreaking havoc in our fast-food restaurants, breaking into our stores, and even taking dips in our swimming pools.

Like their pigeon buddies, the scoundrels have also been known to try and take the TTC, like one confused critter who was seen boarding a subway just this week.

On Wednesday, a fellow transitgoer shared footage they'd captured along the network of a precious juvenile raccoon who somehow made their way onto the subway platform, then actually tried to get on the train.

Raccoon wanted to catch a ride on TTC
byu/JunipLove intoronto

In the brief clip, the wild animal languidly crosses the threshold from northbound platform to a subway train idling at Eglinton station, but is foiled by the closing doors, which knock him or her down.

Thankfully, a Good Samaritan uses their foot to prevent the four-legged friend from getting completely squished, opening the doors back up so they can stand up again.

"I stopped filming as soon as I realized the door was closing on it," the poster wrote on Reddit, adding that the furry guy did, in fact, end up getting on the train in the end. 

"Unfortunately, I was wearing sandals so I had to use my bag to try to move it. There was another passenger trying to keep the door open and we were trying to gently push it but it squeezed past us and ran under the seat."

Amid all of the jokes in the comments about the raccoon not paying its fare, its hunt for Cinnabon, what a hero the unnamed man who saved its life was and how the incident is just "peak Toronto," there were also the requisite worries, including from the poster, who wrote "Hoping no one was bitten by it!"

One person even made a separate post to advise anyone who may have been riding the rocket with a pet at that time to take the proper precautions and make sure their shots are up to date given the raccoon's lethargic, lost behaviour.

If your dog was in proximity to that subway-riding raccoon, make sure their shots are up to date NOW
byu/Butt_Speed intoronto

"When normally skittish animals become fearless and dopey like that, the cause is almost always disease," they wrote.

"That raccoon showed absolutely no fear towards anything and was uncoordinated, both of which are signs of Canine distemper virus (which has a large presence in the city). While it doesn't affect humans, domestic dogs are at risk... If their shots aren't up to date, contact your vet and see what they recommend."

Others also chimed in to say that direct contact with a potentially sick raccoon wouldn't even be necessary, as transmission can sometimes occur via particles on clothing, shoes, etc.

While the fate of the raccoon remains unknown, a few said they believe they've seen the same trash panda in the area, wandering into traffic and even into a local dry cleaner where they "refused to leave."

Comment
byu/JunipLove from discussion
intoronto

Sadly, distemper progressively worsens and is most often fatal, so it will likely result in this animal's death naturally or through euthanasia if it is caught by the relevant authorities.

Anyone who sees a raccoon in the city who they believe may be sick with the virus should keep their distance and phone 311 and/or a contact listed by Ontario Wildlife Rescue, such as the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC).

After the latest video of a raccoon on the TTC, here's what you should do if you encounter one you think might be sick with distemperhttps://t.co/z8wYd0BjXR

— blogTO (@blogTO) August 1, 2024

So far this year, the city has seen a spike in the number of raccoons infected.