Police carried away a possibly pregnant raccoon from the backyard of an Avenue U daycare center on Nov. 6.
A teacher at A to Z Daycare Center spotted the wild critter who looked like she was ready to pop with her pups at any moment, said Jayne Lipkovich, who runs the preschool between Bragg and Coyle streets.
“She was hiding there, I guess to give birth or something,” said Lipkovich.
The rotund raccoon — which officers quipped looked like a little bear, according to photographer Paul Martinka who was on the scene — put up a tough fight when police tried to maneuver her in the cage to haul her off the daycare center’s grounds.
All of the 2–4-year-old youngsters were inside during the fiasco and didn’t get a chance to see the action, but they snapped some photos with some of New York’s Finest instead, said Lipkovich.
“The kids were inside, we didn’t take them,” she said. “They took pictures with the police inside.”
Reach reporter Julianne Cuba at (718) 260–4577 or by e-mail at jcuba@cnglocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @julcuba.
Popular preschool: A to Z Daycare Center is so popular that even the local wildlife wants in.
Photo by Paul Martinka
Hide and seek: Animal Control officers find the creature hiding in the back of the daycare center.
Photo by Paul Martinka
Furry and afraid: Teachers spotted the frightened female raccoon in the daycare’s backyard.
Photo by Paul Martinka
Sharp teeth: She wasn’t happy about attempts to remove her.
Photo by Paul Martinka
Push me, pull you: The raccoon put up a fight to not get caged.
Photo by Paul Martinka
Wild thing: Police wrestle with the raccoon.
Photo by Paul Martinka
“Let me out!”: This raccoon does not want to go in a cage.
Photo by Paul Martinka
Caught: Police finally get the raccoon in the box.
Photo by Paul Martinka
What an ordeal!: Police carry the rogue animal away.
