Toronto raccoon found limping across someone's deck, missing his entire tail

Images of the tailless raccoon limping across a Toronto resident's deck, and during his surgery. (Toronto Wildlife Centre)

A raccoon was found without its tail, limping across someone’s deck in Toronto.

The Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) said in a video shared Saturday that the “poor raccoon had been through a lot.”

According to TWC, a concerned resident named Laura called them about the injured raccoon hobbling across her deck.

“But when Wildlife Rehabilitator Caitie took a closer look, she noticed the raccoon was missing his entire tail!” TWC wrote in its Facebook post.

The rescue team rushed the raccoon to the centre and performed x-rays, where it was discovered the raccoon had a fracture in his knee cap. The injury made it painful for the raccoon to walk, TWC said. How the raccoon received his injuries is unknown at this time.

The x-rays also revealed the raccoon needed the wound where his tail used to be, to be surgically closed.

Fractured knee cap, missing tail … this poor #raccoon had been through a lot! 🦝🩹

Surgery to close the wound where his tail used to be was a success. With treatment, his knee cap is expected to fully heal. The curious patient is already climbing and exploring with ease! pic.twitter.com/ASc9C0UGJd

— Toronto Wildlife Centre (@TWC_Wildlife) February 18, 2023

Veterinary intern Dr. Miguel Martinez cleaned and sutured the wound closed, while a veterinary technician kept a close eye on the raccoon’s vitals.

The wildlife centre says the fractured knee cap will heal with specialized care, and the surgery for the raccoon’s tail was a “success.”

One of the centre's wildlife rehabilitators prepared an enclosure for the raccoon for him to use while he recovers from his procedures.

“With treatment and medication to provide pain relief, the rambunctious raccoon is able to climb using all four limbs and is curiously exploring the many puzzles left to keep him occupied as he recovers,” TWC said.