Raccoon with head trapped in jar has Wild Florida Rescue racing to save animal: 'Time is of the essence'

PALM BAY, Fla. - Wild Florida Rescue is working around the clock to try and help a raccoon with its head trapped in a jar. 

The raccoon has been stuck for five days. It has been seen several times in the Compound of Palm Bay but hasn’t been brought to safety. Rescuers are working overnight to save the animal.  

"It can’t breathe well," said Heather Pepe-Dillon, who started and runs Wild Florida Rescue. 

The raccoon is in distress, as a jar is strangling its neck. 

"It’s so heartbreaking," added WFR volunteer Kari Doering, who’s been saving animals with the nonprofit for about three years. 

From heartbreak to hard work, Wild Florida Rescue volunteers do whatever they can to protect the animal.

It was first spotted on Sunday near Madden Avenue. On Thursday night, crews were close to capturing it.

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"We stayed out there till about two or so in the morning, and we didn’t see her again. We knew she felt chased and was probably scared for the day," added Pepe-Dillon. 

The community's response to saving this animal in distress has been tremendous, especially after a photo of the trapped raccoon was shared widely on social media. 

"Just this morning, I got a phone call from a rescue facility in Okeechobee offering to come help," said Doering.

But too much help has also made the rescue a little more challenging.

"Aggressively hunting them doesn’t work," said the founder, who’s saved several animals in similar situations. 

Many people have come to the Compound independently and, without training, try to find the animal. However, these experts say finding wildlife in danger is different from seeing people in distress.

"With wildlife, the wildlife hears the amount of people," said Pepe-Dillon. "They hear it in the ground. They feel it in the vibrations, and the only thing you do by generating many people on that rescue is draw that animal deeper into the woods, the bush, the terrain."

A lot of the success in a rescue like this is patience and timing. Team members have been watching this raccoon, trying to learn its daily path and movement to ensure they can be in place so the injured animal will come to them.

"More than that, and it gets a little complicated. The little guy gets scared, and he runs off," said Doering.

Small groups of rescuers were out on Friday, taking shifts searching throughout the day. 

What the community can and should do to help is take a picture if you see the raccoon, note the time and location, and immediately share it with Wild Florida Rescue. You can call their hotline at 321-821-7881. 

"Time is of the essence, and we need to work together," said Pepe-Dillon. 

Working together and not having too many people trying to search will make a big difference in rescuing the raccoon.