Toronto holds candlelit vigil for dead raccoon animal services took ages to pick up

At 9am on Thursday morning, a Toronto man reported a dead raccoon on the sidewalk to animal services.

They were quick to acknowledge it, and assured the man the poor little guy would be dealt with.

The man thanked 311Toronto, and left a note by the raccoon’s body.

But then, six hours later, the raccoon was still left on the undignified pavement. Rallying around him, a few Torontonians started to leave roses, condolence cards and framed pictures.

Then someone made a #DeadRaccoonTO hashtag, and everyone started getting involved.

After City Councillor Norm Kelly waded in, the memorial grew even more, with bouquets starting to pile up.

The memes began, with the councillor suggesting the opening of refuse bins in respect of the raccoon’s passing.

There was even a Drake reference.

By 8.20pm, a candlelit vigil was underway, with a donation box seeking to raise enough money for animal services to take him away.

Finally, at 11pm, animal services arrived rather embarrassed to remove #DeadRacccoonTO.

Tributes are still being left at the scene of his death however.

RIP Toronto Raccoon: ???? – 2015. Gone but not forgotten.

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