Raccoon Family Rescued From Boat By Popcorn Park Officer

LACEY, NJ — Associated Humane Popcorn Park Shelter took time to celebrate its animal control officer for the rescue of a raccoon family that was living in a local boat.

A Barnegat resident was getting his fishing boat ready for the season when he found a mom raccoon and her babies stowed away in the cabin, Popcorn Park shared in a Facebook post.

"The gentleman did the right thing, and called for professional assistance," Popcorn Park said. The shelter's animal control officer Maria Cymanski placed deterrents in the hatch area and waited for the raccoons to leave.

"Well, the mom vacated but unfortunately, the babies were left behind!" Popcorn Park wrote.

Cymanski went back to set up a "comfortable, quiet, discreet trap" and told the boat owner the mom would be back to feed her babies and to just give them time before they all went into the trap.

Eventually, the whole raccoon family got into the trap and were taken to one of Popcorn Park's wildlife rehabbers to be cared for until they can be released and "go on to live their happy raccoon lives," Popcorn Park wrote.

"Thanks so much to this boat owner, who took the time to do the right thing," Popcorn Park said. "More often than not, people deal with wildlife issues in a less-than-humane way in order to quickly remedy the situation."

Now, thanks to Popcorn Park's work, the mother will be able to raise her babies and all will be able to live normal lives.

Popcorn Park also thanked Cymanski and their wildlife rehabber.

"It takes a village!" the shelter wrote.

See photos from the rescue here.