What a day!

My first responsibility was to feed my little feral kitties and after that remove and dispose of the little raccoon that had died in one of the cat's shelters (see Tuesday's post - what you doing in there?)

I removed the roof of the shelter and got the dear little raccoon into a cardboard box and covered the body in straw.  I did a little reading on distemper and raccoons and thought maybe I should get in touch with the city about disposing of the body.

Calling 311 was one option but I thought it would be faster to call Toronto Animal Services directly.  The phone was answered and I had to listen to a number of recorded options.  I listened to all options, made my choice and was expecting a person at the other end.  No, I got another recording with more options.  I listened, made my choice and waited for a person.  No.  Not a person, another recording telling me that I would be connected to 311 !!  What the........?  For readers unfamiliar with 311 dialling this number is Toronto's solution to answering any questions on any subject related to the city.  

I got a 311 staff person, explained that I had found a dead raccoon in my feral cat shelter and wanted to know what I should do with the body.  The person, he gave me his name but I wasn't paying any attention, asked for the address so he could send someone from Animal Services to pick up the body within 48  hours.  I don't know the address.  My feral kitties are in an industrial area between two commercial buildings and I couldn't see leaving this raccoon in a box out front.  One of these buildings is very busy during the day with people coming and going constantly.  Then it was suggested I put the deceased raccoon at the end of my driveway.  Well that didn't seem like a good plan either.  Finally the 311 staffer asked if I was thinking of transporting the raccoon to Animal Services!  I asked if that was an option and he put me on hold.  Less than a minute later he came back and said I could deliver the little raccoon to one of 4 Animal Services shelters.  He was about to give me locations for the closest but I told him I knew the closet location was at the CNE grounds. Then he offered to give me Animal Setvices phone number.  It was the same number I had originally called that had automatically put me through to 311 !!  Yes, that would be such fun to go around in circles. Call Animal Services, get put through to 311 then start all over again.

Off I went with the little raccoon in the back of my van.  As I was approaching the CNE grounds I realized that the Royal Winter Fair was to start in 2 days.  Animal Services is located behind the horse palace and all around that building farmers were unloading their goats, cows, chickens, sheep and assorted other farm animals.  There was no way I was going to get anywhere near Animal Services with all those lovely farm animals and loads of people so after a failed attempt to get close to my destination I headed home with the dead raccoon still in the back of my van.

I eventually solved my dilemma.