Raccoons are busiest in autumn. They are feeding hard before winter, this year’s young are striking out on their own, and every one of them is looking for somewhere dry to spend the cold months. That means more of them in Dunbar gardens, more late-night noise, and more chances for a dog or cat to meet one.
Why they are suddenly everywhere
Raccoons do not truly hibernate, but they do put on weight through autumn and then sleep through the worst stretches of winter. From September, everything they do is about calories and shelter.
They are also excellent at reading a neighbourhood. Vancouver’s West Side offers mature trees, crawl spaces, garden ponds, fruit trees and a green bin on every street. A Dunbar block is an easier living than a forest, and raccoons have worked that out.
The other change is timing. They are mostly active at night, and by October it is dark at the exact hours people are walking dogs and letting cats out.
What brings them into your garden
- Windfall fruit. Plums, apples and grapes on the ground are one of the strongest draws in these neighbourhoods, and fallen grapes are a hazard to your own dog as well.
- Green bins and compost, particularly if the latch is broken or the bin sits out overnight.
- Pet food and water bowls left outside.
- Bird feeders, and the seed underneath them.
- Garden ponds with fish, which are an obvious meal.
- Crawl spaces, sheds, decks and uncapped chimneys, all of which are candidate dens from now until spring.
A raccoon that finds food in your garden does not visit once. It builds your garden into its route, and it brings its young.
What actually goes wrong for pets
The scuffle
A cornered raccoon defends itself well. Cats often come off worse, and small dogs who corner one at night are the other common story. Wounds are typically punctures and tears around the face, neck and front legs.
The thing owners consistently underestimate is that these wounds seal over within hours. The skin closes, the fur hides it, and bacteria carried in on the teeth stay underneath. By the third day it has usually become a hot, painful swelling, and the pet is properly unwell.
So the rule is simple: if your dog or cat has tangled with a raccoon, come in the same day even if you cannot find a mark. Our urgent care team would far rather examine a pet who turns out to be fine than drain an abscess on Thursday.
What they carry
- Leptospirosis, spread in urine and picked up by dogs drinking from or wading through contaminated puddles. It is a real concern for dogs in wet city neighbourhoods, and there is a vaccine worth discussing if your dog’s lifestyle suits it.
- Roundworm, which raccoons pass in their stool. They use communal latrine sites, often on a deck, a woodpile, the base of a tree or a flat roof. The eggs are extremely hardy and the infection is a genuine, if uncommon, risk to people as well as pets.
- Fleas and ticks, which arrive with them and stay in the garden.
- Distemper, which circulates in raccoon populations and is a real reason to keep dog vaccination current through our pet care services.
On rabies, the animal of concern in British Columbia is bats rather than raccoons, so the risk from a local raccoon is very low. Wounds still need prompt attention, and keeping core vaccination up to date through our wellness services means one less thing to work out in the moment.
Cleaning up a latrine site
If you find a pile of raccoon droppings in the same spot repeatedly, keep pets and children away from it and take it seriously. Do not hose it or sweep it dry, since both send particles into the air. Wear disposable gloves and an N95 respirator rather than a cloth or surgical mask, which will not stop the eggs. Bag the material, then clean the surface with boiling water, because household cleaner and bleach do not deal with the eggs. Take care carrying boiling water. Afterward, bag the gloves, wash your hands thoroughly and put your clothes straight in the wash. For a large or long-standing site, or anything in a crawl space, get a professional in.
Prevention that actually works
- Pick fruit up daily through autumn. This alone changes how often they visit.
- Secure the green bin, keep it in the garage or shed until collection morning, and repair broken latches.
- Feed pets indoors, and bring bowls in at night.
- Bring cats in at dusk. It solves raccoons, coyotes and traffic in one decision.
- Do not let dogs out unsupervised into a dark garden. Turn a light on, step out with them, and give any visitor a chance to leave.
- Close a cat flap overnight. Raccoons use them, and a raccoon inside a kitchen with a cat is a bad night for everyone.
- Block den access before winter: screen crawl spaces and vents, cap the chimney, and check under the deck now rather than in December.
- Never feed them, and never try to move or corner one yourself.
Much of this overlaps with staying safe on the trails and along the river, which our guide to spring trail safety along SW Marine Drive and McCleery covers in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
My cat came home with a small scratch. Is that really a vet visit?
Yes, the same day. Cat and raccoon wounds look trivial and are frequently anything but, because puncture wounds close over and trap bacteria underneath. Seen early, it is straightforward. Seen on day three, it is usually an abscess.
Are raccoons dangerous to a big dog?
Most raccoons will leave rather than fight, but a cornered one defends itself hard and can injure a large dog, particularly around the face. The more common outcome with big dogs is a wound that gets infected, plus whatever the raccoon was carrying. Call the dog off rather than letting it play out.
What about rabies?
In BC, bats are the species of concern for rabies, and raccoon rabies is not established here, so the risk from a local raccoon is very low. That does not change the advice to have any bite or scratch looked at promptly, and to keep vaccination current.
There is a raccoon living under my deck. Who do I call?
A humane wildlife removal service, and ideally before winter, since moving a family later is harder and more distressing. Do not attempt it yourself, do not block the entrance until you are certain nothing is inside, and do not use poison, which is dangerous to every pet in the neighbourhood.
Should my dog have the leptospirosis vaccine?
It depends on where your dog goes and what they do. Dogs who drink from puddles, swim, walk in areas with heavy wildlife activity or spend time near the river are the obvious candidates. It is a conversation to have at your next visit rather than a blanket rule.
Do raccoons hibernate? Will this stop soon?
Not properly. They den up and sleep through the coldest, wettest stretches, then come out whenever the weather eases, so they never fully disappear from a Vancouver winter. Activity does drop off once they have found a den and put the weight on.
Speak to the team at Dunbar Animal Hospital
If your dog or cat has had any contact with a raccoon, phone us today rather than waiting to see how the wound looks tomorrow.
Published by the team at Dunbar Animal Hospital.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Dunbar Animal Hospital or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Dunbar Animal Hospital
3518 W 41st Ave, Vancouver, BC V6N 3E6
Phone: (604) 434-0018
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM; Sunday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM