A young raccoon is lucky to be alive after eating bread coated with windshield wiper fluid that had been set up as a trap, according to the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC).
TWC said the raccoon then became trapped when a door snapped shut behind her after she had consumed “a poison that was meant to end her life prematurely.”
The raccoon was vomiting inside the constricted space, TWC said.
“At the centre, our medical teams immediately got to work to save this young life,” TWC said in a Facebook post.
“Fluids were used to flush the raccoon’s system, ridding her of the toxic substance. Despite an upset stomach, the young animal remained spirited.”
The raccoon was admitted on Aug. 5 from the Jane Street and Teston Road area in Vaughan, TWC told Global News.
The wildlife agency said that the person responsible for the inhuman act has been charged with animal cruelty.
The veterinarian then kept a watch on the young raccoon for several days as windshield wiper fluid contains methanol and can cause kidney failure that may not be noticeable right away, they said.
Following confirmation that the racoon was on the mend and did not suffer any internal damage, the racoon was moved to an outdoor enclosure before being released.