Officials say raccoons could attack as a result of physical contact and advised Torontonians to avoid them.
“Physical contact includes feeding or petting raccoons and other wild animals, and other interactions which may be otherwise avoidable,” reads a release published by city officials on Tuesday.
“Residents who may have had physical contact with a raccoon or another wild animal should see a healthcare provider immediately to be assessed.”
Dr. Suzanne Macdonald, a psychology professor at York University who specializes in animal behaviour, said that raccoons were unlikely to change their behaviour over the past years. The fact that people encounter those animals more often is probably because they spend more time outdoors since they cannot go anywhere else due to the lockdown.