'Word got out in raccoon land': Wildlife operator helps address woman's raccoon problem

KITSAP COUNTY, Wash. — More than 100 raccoons took over a woman's property in Poulsbo while looking for their next meal.

The resident admitted to feeding the animals for decades before the situation finally got out of hand. Now, neighbors are wondering what’s next to safely relocate them and what plan is in place to keep it from happening again.

Historic Poulsbo, known fondly as Little Norway, is now getting attention for something else. By Tuesday, just about everyone in the colorful city had heard about the so-called raccoon invasion of a woman's property. The video captured by the responding Kitsap County Sheriff's Office deputies almost seems unreal.

“I’ve certainly never seen anything like this. None of the deputies have ever seen anything like this. This was new for everybody,” Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Kevin McCarty stated.

ALSO SEE:Poulsbo woman's home overrun by over 100 raccoons after 3 decades of feeding them

The woman said she's been feeding raccoons in the area for almost four decades, but last week she was surrounded by the animals reportedly being aggressive and begging for food, so she called law enforcement for help.

“Wild raccoons are not safe to toy with. People shouldn’t get near them. They certainly shouldn’t feed them,” McCarty said. “And obviously, word got out in raccoon land, so a lot of them are showing up because they expect they’re going to get a meal.”

Other longtime Poulsbo residents told KOMO News it's common to see the masked mammals on their properties near wooded areas and even sent us their photos of the animals, but they've never seen anything like what this woman experienced.

“I've never seen that much, not in one place. You know, I can see where she started feeding them, but she didn't stop. She just didn't give up,” neighbor Jim Malmbord said.

“I hope they find a way to get rid of them, not kill them, though,” Poulsbo resident Gary Williams added.

We're told the resident was put in contact with a wildlife control operator and that she was working with a trapper. It's a pricey process. She got a quote of about $500 to remove and relocate each one.

State law says all animals trapped by a wildlife control operator must be released on-site or euthanized and properly disposed of. As of Tuesday evening, it was unclear whether the raccoons had been removed yet and where they could be released.

Fish and Wildlife share information throughout the year, reminding people to avoid feeding raccoons to keep them from getting comfortable around people.