Garbage bin otter doing well, has ‘zero interaction with humans’, says rescue centre

A slick but malnourished otter who was rescued from under a garbage bin in the West End is doing well.

The Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre says ‘Otty’ the otter is getting stronger and healthier, releasing video of how the playful guy is doing.

The latest video shows Otty, named such by his rescuers, heading through a small sliding door into an adjoining room where he is fed, has toys to play with and water to play in, all without seeing a single human.

“We use a guillotine door system operated from outside the room to move him back and for the between two secured care rooms,” the centre said on social media.

“We move him out of his usual room by luring him through the door with food. That gives us the chance to completely clean his enclosure and change the water in his pools. Once we are done, we exit the room and open the small door again.

“He comes back to a clean room and plate full of food! All of this with zero interactions with humans.”

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Otty was found a few weeks ago by locals who spotted him living under a green garbage bin at the University of Winnipeg. Otty hung around until rescuers from the Winnipeg Humane Society came, at which point he took off and squeezed under several fences.

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Rescuers managed to corner him and he was eventually taken to the rehabilitation centre. He was found to be underfed but in generally good health.

When he’s strong enough, he will be released back into the wild.