A woman in Toronto, Ariel Lukaniuk, has been forced to sleep in her second bedroom for several weeks due to a family of raccoons residing in the walls of her row house. The raccoons, which infiltrated from a neighboring building undergoing renovations, have been causing disturbances by scratching and screaming throughout the night, disturbing both Lukaniuk and her dog. Despite Lukaniuk’s repeated attempts to seek assistance from the city and the building owner, the issue has not been promptly addressed.
Lukaniuk initially contacted the city via 311 three weeks ago to request the removal of the raccoons and to urge her housing non-profit neighbors to secure the walls at the renovation site. However, despite assurances of ongoing efforts, including the setting of traps, the raccoons remain in the walls, leaving Lukaniuk frustrated and sleep-deprived.
The building undergoing renovations, owned by Community Circle LandTrust (CCLT), had its back wall removed during construction, providing the raccoons access to neighboring properties. CCLT took action after being contacted by both Lukaniuk and the city, sealing the wall, setting traps, and installing one-way doors to prevent the raccoons from re-entering. Despite these efforts, the raccoons have not been captured yet, causing ongoing distress to Lukaniuk.
Lukaniuk expresses concerns about the well-being of the raccoons trapped in the walls and the potential hazards they pose, such as starting a fire by chewing wires. She criticizes the city for its slow response and inability to resolve the issue promptly, as the problem originates on private property. Despite the city’s reassurances of ongoing investigations and efforts to ensure compliance with bylaws, Lukaniuk remains frustrated and exhausted by the situation.
