See Raccoon Running Around Church and Looking for a Snack

Services were canceled at Chosen Generation Outreach Ministry International in Wisconsin on August 17th when the pastor arrived and found a surprise visitor. When Ingrid Durr first arrived at the church that night, she reported noticing the signs of a break-in. Thankfully, however, Durr had cameras established around the church. As a result, she was able to watch the security footage on her phone. The culprit for this crime? None other than a furry raccoon, most likely looking for food within the church.

Although Durr, along with the help of those nearby, was able to remove the raccoon from the church safely, it wasn’t before it was able to cause a bit of chaos. This includes displacing ceiling tiles and rummaging around in Durr’s office. The services were canceled as professionals were called to help scour the church and ensure no other raccoons or other small critters had decided to take residence within the building.

This is the first time that the raccoon has been seen inside the church, but it is not the first time that Durr and others have seen raccoons nearby. During an interview with local news sources, Durr states that she has seen a family of raccoons settled around the church before, once climbing a nearby tree.

Is It Common to Find Raccoons in Human Homes and Buildings?

While it may not be an everyday occurrence, it’s actually not rare to find raccoons in buildings. This includes human homes as well as facilities like the church in the story above. It isn’t always a first choice for these little mammals, but raccoons will gladly infiltrate human habitats in order to seek food and shelter.

There are other reasons that raccoons may seek human buildings as well. In more urban areas, raccoons can become accustomed to living alongside humans. This means that they may lose their fear of humans. As a result, they may boldly venture into already inhabited areas to establish residence. Some have seen raccoons enter through clandestine methods, such as through the attic. Others have seen raccoons enter through pet doors!

Even if a raccoon may not dare to tread in human homes, they can still be seen nearby. For instance, many raccoons have been reported living inside trash cans and dumpsters.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/JZHunt