A Montreal man says he is facing an obstruction charge, along with a ticket authorities wanted to issue, after rescuing a baby raccoon named Pepper and nursing her to health. Louka Berman found the seven-month-old animal at a construction site in May, where he said she and her mother had been shot with a crossbow. He intended to return Pepper to the wild, but attempts to release her have failed because she waits for him in the wooded area.After videos of the pair went viral, Quebec’s Environment Ministry sought the raccoon, accusing Berman of keeping her at home. According to Global News, Berman denies keeping Pepper at his residence and says he has hidden her in parks. He fears authorities may euthanise her and plans to challenge the charges in court.
Montreal man rescues injured baby raccoon Pepper after crossbow attack
Louka Berman found Pepper, a seven-month-old raccoon, injured at a construction site in May. He said, “Someone shot her with a crossbow, and they shot her too. So they thought that they were both dead.”He nursed her back to health. His intention, he said, was eventually to return the young animal to the wild. Pepper’s recovery, however, did not lead to a straightforward return to her natural habitat. Berman said she had become attached to him, and he described the bond as mutual.
Berman struggles to release Pepper as she stays attached to him
Berman said attempts to release Pepper into the wild had not succeeded. When he left her in a wooded area, she stayed and waited for him to return rather than moving away. He said Pepper had grown attached to him, and that he felt the same way about her. Videos showing Berman with Pepper later went viral, bringing wider attention to their relationship. Quebec’s Environment Ministry then came looking for the animal, accusing Berman of keeping her in his home. Authorities did not find Pepper. Berman insisted he was not keeping her at his residence and said he had instead been hiding her in parks. He said officials could come at any time to take her.
Why is Montreal man Louka Berman facing charges over rescued raccoon Pepper
In Quebec, a permit is required to keep a raccoon at home. Berman said he was not keeping Pepper at his residence, but authorities wanted to issue him a ticket over allegations that he was doing so. He said he was facing an obstruction charge. Berman planned to go to court to fight the charges. He said authorities could come at any time to take Pepper, and feared they might euthanise her.The Montreal SPCA’s Sophie Gaillard said the circumstances raised questions about whether Berman was legally in possession of the raccoon. She said, “It sounds like a situation where this animal would need to be rehomed in a wildlife sanctuary.”
Why Pepper may need a wildlife sanctuary instead of returning to the wild
Gaillard said Pepper’s difficulty returning to the wild could indicate that the young raccoon had become habituated to people. She said the animal appeared to need a home in a wildlife sanctuary. Gaillard also pointed to a shortage of facilities in Quebec that can care for injured wildlife. The SPCA itself does not have the means to look after such animals and cannot always find another organisation that can take them in. She said, “Every year, we experience this issue where we have animals that, unfortunately, we have to euthanize because we can’t find a facility to take them in.”An online fundraiser has been launched in Pepper’s name to help fund a wildlife sanctuary. For now, Berman and Pepper’s supporters hope a home can be found where she can be saved.