'This has to be extremely painful.' Quincy man charged with setting live raccoon on fire

Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger
Updated ·2 min read
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QUINCY − A Quincy man has been charged with animal cruelty after setting a live raccoon on fire in his backyard, according to a Quincy Police Department news release.

A raccoon reportedly set on fire by a Quincy man was taken to New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth for treatment.
A raccoon reportedly set on fire by a Quincy man was taken to New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth for treatment.

When officers arrived at the Royal Street home Saturday, they found two neighbors arguing and "saw a live raccoon in a trap cage that appeared to have burn injuries," the news release said.

Police say they obtained video of the man, a 63-year-old Quincy resident, building a fire in a tin can and putting the cage on top "as the fire intensified."

The man was arraigned in Quincy District Court on Tuesday. The raccoon is being treated at the New England Wildlife Center animal hospital in Weymouth.

Wildlife center posts update on raccoon's status

At about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Cape Wildlife Center, a New England Wildlife Center program, posted an account of the animal's injuries to its Facebook account, saying law enforcement brought the raccoon to its Weymouth hospital.

"He suffered severe burns to his stomach, back and paws," the post says. "Raccoons have more nerves running to their hands than almost any other animal on earth, so we know this has to be extremely painful."

The hospital is providing pain medications, antibiotic fluids and nutritional support.

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"He is a fighter, and we will do everything we can to get him through," the Facebook post says.

The wildlife center said raccoons serve an important role in urban and suburban ecosystems by eating rodents, insects, carrion and vegetable matter. The post recommends capping chimneys, securing undersides of decks and sheds and putting lids on outdoor trashcans.

"There are plenty of reasons to love these curious creatures, and if you can practice a few key safety tips it is easy to co-exist with them," the post says.

Under Massachusetts law, a person convicted of cruelty to animals can be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in state prison, fined a maximum of $5,000, or both, with steeper penalties for subsequent offenses. Those convicted are also barred from working in any capacity that involves contact with animals.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy man charged with setting live raccoon on fire