Toronto warns people not to touch raccoons amid 'Jimothy' craze
If you're on TikTok at all these days, you've probably already seen the now-viral video of an adorable Seattle raccoon nicknamed "Jimothy," who was born with a rare spinal condition.
Although the tiny creature has captured the hearts of millions online, Toronto Public Health (TPH) is reminding everyone that even internet-famous wildlife should be admired from an appropriate distance.
The blob-shaped raccoon rose to social media fame after Seattle resident Kiana Hall spotted the animal while out for an evening walk with her husband near the Ballard Goodwill thrift store. Hall told local news outlets that she initially mistook the animal for a cat before realizing it was something entirely different.
"This was my first time seeing Jimothy, and I initially thought that he was a cat," Hall said. "I realized he definitely wasn't a cat. We literally just saw him and was like, 'He looks like a Jimothy.'"
The video, which has racked up millions of views, shows the tiny raccoon scurrying across a patch of grass, perched on top of its four long, skinny legs. Experts believe that Jimothy's one-of-a-kind appearance is likely the result of a rare congenital spinal deformity, sometimes referred to as short spine syndrome.
Although he only recently became a social media sensation, Jimothy has apparently been a neighbourhood celebrity for quite some time. Another Seattle resident, Ben Trammell, shared videos showing Jimothy as an adorable baby exploring fences along with his family.
"Seattle's newest celebrity was born in our neighbor's cedars to a raccoon family that had lived there for years. We saw Jimothy (way better moniker than what we came up with) almost daily for months. The family used our backyard as a protected on/off ramp for their nightly outings. He was so small and clumsy but his mother and siblings were always so patient and caring, keeping him from falling and sometimes just carrying him," Trammell wrote.
"With all the pain in our timelines right now, I'm really loving how connected so many people feel this funny little creature."
Although Jimothy has undoubtedly won over the internet, TPH says people should resist the urge to approach raccoons, no matter how cute or famous they may be.
"Whether they're going viral in Seattle or roaming the streets of Toronto, raccoons are wild animals & can carry #rabies. Give wildlife space & admire from afar (even the Internet stars)," TPH wrote on social media.
The City notes that rabies can be spread by domestic animals, including pets, livestock, or wild animals. In North America, rabies is most commonly transmitted by bats, foxes, skunks, and raccoons.
The disease — which is 100 per cent fatal once symptoms appear — can be transmitted in three ways, namely through bites that break the skin, saliva entering an open wound, and saliva entering the mouth, nose, or eyes.
