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Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

popsci.com

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Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#21

Post by e_i_pi_2 »

hbarka wrote: post #10
Larrikin wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you complaining about people helping a raccoon? The Internet hype is a bit much but why are you framing it like this raccoon should have died years ago.

God forbid we put out a pan of dry kibbles for a stray cat or a water pan outside for hiking dogs during hot days. That would be “enabling”.

I do this too, but it's important to make sure you're either fully adopting them to keep them inside and care for medical issues, or at least make sure they get neutered/spayed before they're let out again if they can't live indoors. Stray cats are terrible for the local ecology- just feeding them without taking those steps is definitely harmful. In my town you can call animal control for strays and they'll clip the ears so you can see that they can't reproduce and are safe to leave out.

I'd also be hesitant to give people the idea that racoons are safe to interact with, even stray cats can be dangerous, but racoons can do much more damage. I feel like the ideal situation is they capture him and find an animal sanctuary away from the public. Wild animals with genetic issues don't usually live a great life

Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#22

Post by e_i_pi_2 »

hbarka wrote: post #17
Salgat wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I lived in Chicago I'd see rats and cats eating cat food left out alongside each other. I'm not against helping wild animals as long as it doesn't come with a rat infestation issue.

I know that one. It’s the good ol’ tolerance formula: Tolerance(A) = { 100% if A ≠ B; 0% if A → B } Sprinkle on anything to suit your taste.

This does seem like an unfortunate truth of life, I always want to loan friends money, but can't afford to if they keep not paying me back :/

I also want to put a bird feeder outside a window we have, but I know that'll mean bird poop on a walkway that other people use

Same with some technology, I want to use X because it seems better but I know that'll mean it won't get the same support as Y so we have to use Y

Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#23

Post by asdff »

Salgat wrote: post #11
hbarka wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

God forbid we put out a pan of dry kibbles for a stray cat or a water pan outside for hiking dogs during hot days. That would be “enabling”.

When I lived in Chicago I'd see rats and cats eating cat food left out alongside each other. I'm not against helping wild animals as long as it doesn't come with a rat infestation issue.

It doesn't. You already have a rat infestation issue. This doesn't cause it or further it. You think that little handful of kibble compares to the free calories available in an entire dumpster full of chicago deep dish pizza scrap that sits out in the open air day in day out?

Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#24

Post by MichaelZuo »

Larrikin wrote: post #5
ncr100 wrote: post #2

According to a local Instagram posting he has difficulty traversing fence rails. When he was young, a year ago, a neighbor saw his family helping him as he fumbled. And so this neighbor says they cut open a hole in their fence at ground level for him. https://www.instagram.com/p/Da5pCzqjhx1/ https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da9V4-FOjc_/ So some are appearing to enable this one critter. Also locally - Seattle - local ag…

Are you complaining about people helping a raccoon? The Internet hype is a bit much but why are you framing it like this raccoon should have died years ago.

What planet are you living on?

Homeowners are generally legally liable for anything that occurs on their property, especially if it can affect neighbouring properties to any provable extent.

There are carveouts and exemptions, but that isn’t a magical deflector shield.

So it doesn’t take a huge imagination to see how it could have negative externalities.

Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#25

Post by c22 »

bakedbeanz wrote: post #15
pudgywalsh wrote: post #7

[flagged]

Weird, joyless take. What do you get out of looking down on people appreciating a cute animal?

I think the critique was levied towards the notion of asking an ecologist to make a medical diagnosis of an individual based on a handful of tiktok clips rather than a stab at anyone's joy.

The url is literally popsci.com though so I'm not sure what gp expected.

Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#26

Post by teaearlgraycold »

throw1234567891 wrote: post #4

> You’d have to be living under a dumpster not to have heard of Jimothy, Seattle’s favorite raccoon and the internet’s newest folk hero. Or anywhere outside of Seattle, I suppose.

Everyone in SF I know is talking about Jimothy.

Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#27

Post by lgas »

throw1234567891 wrote: post #4

> You’d have to be living under a dumpster not to have heard of Jimothy, Seattle’s favorite raccoon and the internet’s newest folk hero. Or anywhere outside of Seattle, I suppose.

I live in DC, on the other side of the country and I've heard about him, so I think you are underestimating his renown.

Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#29

Post by buildbot »

It’s absolutely wild how Jimothy has taken over the internet. This is easily the most media attention anyone/anything from Ballard has ever gotten.

Also; Free Ballard! End the century of Seattle tyranny! https://www.seattle.gov/city-archives/exhibits-and-education... (JK, mostly)

Re: Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here's what that means

#30

Post by loeg »

buildbot wrote: post #29

It’s absolutely wild how Jimothy has taken over the internet. This is easily the most media attention anyone/anything from Ballard has ever gotten. Also; Free Ballard! End the century of Seattle tyranny! https://www.seattle.gov/city-archives/exhibits-and-education... (JK, mostly)

Ballard: it's one of the only north Seattle neighborhoods vaguely affordable to buy in. Lots of young families. Try to ignore the meth heads camping next to the Burke Gilman and industrial areas. (I live in Ballard.)
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