Stop calling 911 to remove wild animals from your property in Norfolk County: OPP

Hundreds of homeowners have been contacting police in Norfolk County, police say, to remove wild animals, mostly raccoons, from their property.

On Thursday evening, a resident in the Windham area contacted police to remove a raccoon that was walking in a field beside their home. Police say the department is being "inundated" with similar calls for help regarding raccoons, skunks, squirrels and bats. Police say they do not have the equipment to trap, house or transport wild animals.

Instead of calling police, you should call a private animal removal service, Norfolk County OPP media relations constable Ed Sanchuksaid. The calls tie up phone lines and officers who are needed in the community for emergencies.

Sanchuk saidin previous years they received more than 700 animal-removal calls about ananimal onresidential property or inside a home.

Sanchuk said people need to understand that animals, even raccoons, will forage for food during the day.

Unless a wild animal is attacking a person and posing a threat to public safety, residents should not contact police or 911, said Sanchuk.

"It's not a police issue," he said.

"We are taking officers away from other things in the community."