Trapped Raccoon Set On Fire In Union County: Prosecutor

PLAINFIELD, NJ — A reward is being offered and authorities are investigating the death of a raccoon that was trapped in a cage and deliberately set on fire on July 4, acting Union County Prosecutor Jennifer Davenport announced.

Plainfield Police found the dead raccoon in a cage at 429 John St. just before 6:30 a.m. on July 4, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Patricia Cronin, who heads the humane animal treatment subsection of the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Unit.

Two more cages with live raccoons inside were found outside the home, both were unharmed, according to the report.

The raccoons had been trapped by a contracted pest control company last month at the home, an investigation found.

An accelerant is believed to have been used to set the trapped raccoon on fire, although what specific type of substance was used remains under investigation, authorities said.

Anyone with information about this matter or the identity of the person or persons responsible is being urged to contact Plainfield Police Lt. Edward Hafekin at 908-753-3131 or Prosecutor’s Office Sgt. Vito Colacitti at 908-527-4670.

Traveling 4 Paws Rescue also made a Facebook post offering a reward in connection with this crime.

For an overview of New Jersey’s animal cruelty statutes and information on how to report such incidents, go online to ucnj.org/prosecutor/animal-cruelty.

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