A dead raccoon on a busy Toronto street has sparked a memorial and thousands of tweets.
The deceased animal lay helpless on the sidewalk at Yonge Street and Church Street after Toronto Animal Services neglected to pick it up, but someone took it upon themselves to show the city creature some respect as it met the afterlife.
It began Thursday morning when a lone raccoon was found belly-up on the sidewalk.
One considerate citizen then took it upon himself to alert the city.
@311Toronto There’s a dead raccoon on the sidewalk outside 819 Yonge (at the SE corner of Church). — Jason Wagar (@jasonwagar) July 9, 2015
Alas, it seemed, help was on the way.
Yet, by mid-afternoon, the little raccoon still lay unattended. But while Animal Services minded other business, Torontonians began collecting items for a make-shift memorial.
Saw this while I was driving and waiting for the red light. Pretty sweet. #OnlyInToronto #toronto #cute #desd #lol #style #idea #sad #poor #animal #deadracoonto A photo posted by Calvin Du (@calvindu1991) on
@311Toronto It’s now after 3 pm and I guess Animal Services hasn’t been by, because someone’s having some fun now: pic.twitter.com/ff0ybbm5cX
— Jason Wagar (@jasonwagar) July 9, 2015
And then, with the attention of Toronto City Councillor Norm Kelly, who may just be the most entertaining politician on Twitter, #DeadRaccoonTO began to take off.
The sidewalk memorial is growing, @311Toronto. H/T @jasonwagar. #DeadRaccoonTO pic.twitter.com/3vTUf9xB7b — Norm Kelly (@norm) July 10, 2015
Drake reacting to #DeadRaccoonTO. pic.twitter.com/t7EDv6rdFu
— Norm Kelly (@norm) July 10, 2015
Residents are being asked to keep their green bins open tonight in honour of #DeadRaccoonTO. — Norm Kelly (@norm) July 10, 2015
Don’t quite know what to say about this sidewalk discovery except that it really brought ppl together. #deadraccoonto pic.twitter.com/BJ7efipLvq
— Shauna Pollock (@misspollock) July 9, 2015
sleep well my sweet prince, people loved you and remember you #deadraccoonto pic.twitter.com/G7erlbktnx — Chris Hahn (@heyhahn) July 9, 2015
Then, by nightfall, a candle-light vigil enshrined the raccoon with dozens of messages written in a red sharpie on a piece of paper.
Leaving some messages for #DeadRaccoonTO pic.twitter.com/xirnynU4qa
— Kris Pangilinan (@KrisReports) July 10, 2015
And then (because Canada):
Someone put a joint in #DeadRaccoonTO‘s hand. #pouroneoutformydeadhomies pic.twitter.com/vwIbrecwsf — Logan Muenster (@LMuenster) July 10, 2015
Meanwhile on Twitter…
It seems to me you lived your life, like a raccoon in the trash Never knowing what bin to eat from, when the lane got dark #DeadRaccoonTO
— Andrew Tumilty (@AndrewTumilty) July 10, 2015
You fought the good fight Turned over a green bin or two Trashed yards too Now we’re blue We honor you #DeadRaccoonTO pic.twitter.com/5kPdWmmt1j — Lynn (@LeafsGrl) July 10, 2015
BREAKING: PM Stephen Harper calls for national day of mourning during emergency session of Parliament #DeadRaccoonTO pic.twitter.com/BQOT3ObsKe
— MadAsHell™ (@rpjohnson001) July 10, 2015
#DeadRaccoonTO was “known to police”. pic.twitter.com/4KCthVXc4z — Jake Reid (@JakeAReid) July 10, 2015
Brian Williams was there. #DeadRaccoonTO pic.twitter.com/tQ0RkAWalS
— Brent Mazur (@Brent_Mazur) July 10, 2015
Honour the Life of Raccoon! An Existence Ended too Soon. The Lesson to Learn is Clear: Cherish all Those you hold Dear! #DeadRaccoonTO — Guy Gavriel Kay (@guygavrielkay) July 10, 2015
Geddy Lee’s 80’s hair style found discarded on Yonge St. @rushtheband #DeadRaccoonTO
— MadAsHell™ (@rpjohnson001) July 10, 2015
And then this happened (because social media):
Hello Twitter. #DeadRaccoonTO
— DeadRaccoonTO (@DeadRaccoonTO) July 10, 2015
By the end of the evening, Animal Services finally got around to taking care of the animal, showing up around 8 p.m.
The city of Toronto worker is now preparing to remove the raccoon. #DeadRaccoonTO pic.twitter.com/DASkviOkiE — Kris Pangilinan (@KrisReports) July 10, 2015
But the mourning wasn’t over.
My condolences to the family of #DeadRaccoonTO. pic.twitter.com/B4DitIKNYB — Norm Kelly (@norm) July 10, 2015
It seemed, however, that some found the raccoon memorial too offensive (because… Canada… again).
The whole #DeadRaccoonTO thing is disgusting. Haven’t been so embarrassed to say I’m from #Toronto in a long time.
— PK © (@brotherpetekic) July 10, 2015
We Torontonians are a sick bunch. But funny. #DeadRaccoonTO https://t.co/1QjdM3M2yt
— Mike Smith (@happyeffluvium) July 10, 2015
Will the folks who circulated the #deadraccoonTO vigil be circulating tonight’s vigil for Andrew Loku who was shot by police on Sunday?
— Amanda Watson (@glebetrotter) July 10, 2015
#DeadRaccoonTO is the first time I’ve ever been ashamed of being from this country and province. Disgusting. Fuck all of you.
— 市ビッチ (@LordVacation) July 10, 2015
#DeadRaccoonTO This isn’t honouring the raccoon, this is disgusting! No respect for wildlife. Get your point across some other way.
— Flory Bell (@BellFlory) July 10, 2015
Regardless of whether or not #DeadRaccoonTO was disrespectful, there is no denying its virality on Twitter.
It’s official. The Pan Am Games are 20000x less exciting than a dead raccoon. #PanAm2015 #DeadRaccoonTO #Toronto #yyz pic.twitter.com/91laOA0Wbc — Andrew Scanlon (@AndrewBScanlon) July 10, 2015
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