Raccoon that hitched a ride on a Virginia trash truck is caught by police and set free

This raccoon is having a rough morning-just wanted some trash & ended up in Rosslyn!

>And yes I alerted the driver pic.twitter.com/L3y3JFBpFx

— Helena Bottemiller Evich (@hbottemiller) February 17, 2017

A raccoon took a ride on the back of a trash truck Friday through Arlington’s Rosslyn neighborhood.

Politico reporter Helena B. Evich spotted the raccoon on the back of an American Disposal Services vehicle on Oak Street, near the intersection with Clarendon and Wilson boulevards. Evich said she contacted the company to see whether it could help the critter, and a representative of the company vowed to look into it.

The truck ride came to an end miles away on Hillwood Avenue near Larry Graves Park, the Falls Church Police Department said in a statement. The driver of the trash truck pulled over to make sure the raccoon was not harmed, caught the raccoon with the help of police, and they released it into the park.

“It was as gentle as it could be,” said Susan Finarelli, a spokeswoman for the city of Falls Church.

The animal didn’t appear to be sick, authorities said, and anyone who sees a raccoon trying to hitch a ride should contact police at 703-241-5053.

“We can confirm the raccoon is unharmed and was removed safely for all,” said Anna Wilkinson, a spokeswoman for American Disposal Services.

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