Uninvited ‘Guests’ Shooed From Perch
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Mike Scroggins carefully scooped up two baby raccoons and relocated them to a nearby tree where their mother was waiting.
DAVE’S WORLD
By David Howell
It was a slow Friday afternoon when I heard the radio traffic on the scanner – a lady on Blackmur Drive had a raccoon trapped inside her shed and needed help fast. Any good reporter would jump at the opportunity, so I headed up Blackmur following Big Blue with her fire crew – the guys were also looking for a little action. Water Valley Police officer Jakirio Horton was already on the scene when we arrived.
The homeowner, Octivia Neely, told us that she heard an unusual squealing noise from a large wood cabinet inside her shed and decided to investigate. She opened the door and spotted a momma raccoon and four babies. The momma wasn’t happy about being disturbed and Neely reacted fast, slamming the door and holding it shut while dialing 911. She was scared to turn loose and waited for help, holding her phone in one hand while keeping pressure on the cabinet door with her other hand.
A momma coon fled the shed with one kit, relocating to a nearby tree.
We all admitted to chuckling a little when the dispatcher relayed the call to the police, but Neely was less than amused with her “guests.” We waited for Mike Scroggins, who wears multiple hats for the city including serving as the animal control officer. He was working out the airport on the beacon light, but it only took him a few minutes to arrive with James Morgan.
Mike and James carefully opened the cabinet door and peeked in to determine a course of action. Mike decided they needed to move a few things out of the cabinet to give him a clear path to catch her. The coon also contemplated her course of action and climbed out through a small hole above, toting one of her kits in her mouth.
She ambled out of the shed and up a big oak tree, and watched to see what would happen next. Mike removed her other three babies from the cabinet and carefully placed them under the tree – another problem in the city resolved.
It was too good a story not to share, you have to love the teamwork in a small town – folks here can handle just about anything that comes at them.
And over the years I have covered just about any animal “rescue” you can imagine – from pigs to coons and from dogs to snakes. My favorite story was many years ago when I was working in Panola County. The Sardis Fire Department was called out to help extract a snake from a car.
Turns out the guy took his snake out for a joy ride and she crawled up in the dash of the vehicle. There were a couple of volunteers who poked around under the dash until they could get a hand on her, and the story ended well (if you like snakes).
Back in Water Valley, a lot of folks have are talking about a potential new resident. Brandon Presley, our former Public Service Commissioner, and his wife, Katelyn, are looking at a house on Dupuy Street. Barring any hiccups with the real estate deal, the couple plan to make Water Valley their new home. Brandon may write a column periodically in the Herald after they get everything situated after the move. He didn’t mention bringing any snakes, pigs or coons.
While Mike Scroggins (not pictured) and James Morgan (left) prepared to catch a raccoon and her babies, Water Valley firemen and police officers provided backup from a safe distance.
