Woman Extracts Raccoon From Chimney With Pole

Michelle Heyer was surprised that police responded to her call about a raccoon in her chimney, but they did.

It was the second time a raccoon had been trapped in the chimney of her Bryden Road home, and the first was big enough to crawl out, she said.

But this one could not stretch its arms and legs across the length of the inside of the chimney, where she spotted him Saturday, April 7.

officers referred her to the animal warden, but she was worried they would kill the animal. So she took matters into her own hands.

Heyer took a long pole and stuck it in her chimney from above, hoping he would crawl out. Then she had to leave for a week on business.

While she was gone, she said, she worried that she would come home to a dead animal.

But the raccoon made it out safely. And now, she said, she plans to get the chimney cover installed.