A raccoon enjoyed “excellent service,” TTC says, after entering a subway car Wednesday evening, but some residents worry the animal might have been sick.
In a short video posted to Reddit, a raccoon can be seen climbing aboard the car, but struggles at first due to the doors closing. The video quickly cuts as it stands between the doors. In another video, the raccoon walks inside the car, brushing past fellow train riders.
Raccoon on the train
byu/magooru inTTC
The raccoon entered the train through the Eglinton Station northbound platform at around 5:50 p.m., the TTC confirmed to Now Toronto in an email on Thursday. Staff were immediately dispatched, but were unable to locate the animal.
About 10 minutes later, the TTC said the raccoon was observed once again, but this time at York Mills Station.
“It appears the raccoon had boarded a train during the busy rush hour and travelled two stations north,” TTC Senior Communications Advisor Adrian Grundy said in an email. “We can confirm there were no delays on the route and the raccoon enjoyed excellent service.”
The agency assured that no passengers were harmed by the raccoon and the animal arrived at its destination safely, greeted by staff members to usher it out of the station.
“All accounts suggest the raccoon was well-behaved and made no physical contact with any customers during its journey,” Grundy said. “At York Mills Station, TTC staff gently coaxed the raccoon outside the station to safety.”
Some social media users claimed to recognize the raccoon from the neighbourhood, with few believing the animal to be diseased.
“I was driving home from work on Eglington and this raccoon ran out onto the street in broad daylight,” one user said on Reddit.
“Pretty sure this is the same racoon that wandered into my dry cleaner’s at Yonge and Eg yesterday and refused to leave,” another user said. “Probably has distemper.”
Canine Distemper (CDV) is a virus generally present in the raccoon population, but at low levels, the City of Toronto explains on its website.
Raccoons with CDV usually have no fear of humans, and may often approach or openly sleep in close proximity to people. The animal may wander aimlessly, often appearing blind and confused. A mucus discharge will often be present around their eyes and nose, which may be accompanied by coughing, tremors, seizures or chewing fits. The fatal illness causes the raccoons to generally act disoriented or lethargic, but they can become aggressive if cornered.
CDV does not pose a threat to human health, but dogs can contract the virus from a raccoon if they have not been vaccinated for distemper.
The City of Toronto confirmed to Now Toronto that the raccoon on the train was not injured and was led outside. However, it could not be determined if it had distemper without the animal being assessed in person by an animal services officer.
TTC urges passengers to stay away from any wildlife on its transit systems, and to quickly report if they witness any fare-evading furry friends.
“While not a common occurrence, if Toronto wildlife does evade the fare gates and board a vehicle, customers are encouraged to remain clear of the animal and immediately report it to a staff member or via the SafeTTC App,” Grundy said. “TTC staff will isolate the vehicle and call pest control.”
