The Animal Rescue League of Boston’s rescue services team brings injured raccoon to safety in Berlin, MA

ARL’s rescue services team brought a raccoon in Berlin, MA to safety after being trapped on top of a high-voltage utility pole for 3 days!

Earlier this week, the ARL’s rescue services team was called in by the National Grid to help rescue a raccoon from the top of a utility pole in Berlin, Massachusetts.

Residents first noticed the injured raccoon perched on top of the high-voltage pole on Pleasant Street last Thursday and became increasingly worried with each day that he remained stuck up there .

Concerned neighbors began calling the National Grid, the Berlin police department, and posting pleas for help on social media. They even scattered bails of hay around the base of the utility pole to soften the fall, just in case the raccoon accidentally slipped.

After 3 days of being trapped with no end in sight, the ARL’s rescue services team was called in to help bring the injured raccoon to safety.

Click here to watch the Berlin raccoon rescue video, as covered by WHDH.com Channel 7 News.

As soon as the National Grid shut down the high-voltage power, the ARL crew quickly began their recovery effort. Using a boom lift to raise them to the top of the pole, ARL’s rescue services team carefully scooped the raccoon into a large net and brought him down to safety.

The Berlin raccoon, now safe, was transported to a local wildlife rehabilitation center for medical attention and recovery.

There was one additional scare, however! Once on the ground, the raccoon slipped out of the net and scampered away from the crowd and busy street. Fortunately, Danielle Genter on ARL’s rescue services team was able to outrun the injured raccoon and re-capture him in the net before safely placing him in a transport cage.

“The rescue went about as smooth as we’d hoped for, in a high traffic street,” said Danielle Genter.

Upon initial evaluation, the raccoon appeared to be injured and dehydrated. He was taken to a local wildlife rehabilitation center for immediate medical attention and recovery.

Berlin resident Karen Blakeney reached out to the ARL afterward with this note of gratitude:

“I wanted to thank everyone involved from your wonderful organization for rescuing the raccoon by my house in Berlin today. You did a truly outstanding job and the world is such a better place with people like you in it… Thank you again for the important work you do every day!”

A big THANK YOU to all of the concerned Berlin residents, the Berlin police department, and the National Grid for helping to bring an injured raccoon to safety!

For more information about ARL’s rescue services team, visit arlboston.org/rescue/