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FDNY declines rescue run
After all....capturing "bandits" is a law enforcement job 
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NEW YORK (AP) - Stranded for two weeks atop a 253-foot amusement
park tower at Coney Island, a wayward raccoon was finally lured to
safety with - what else? - a Nathan's Famous hot dog.
"But without the sauerkraut," said Mark Blumenthal, manager of
the Astroland Amusement Park, after the masked marauder was lowered
to the ground in a special cage on Tuesday.
Dubbed Rocky by park employees, the raccoon had climbed to the
pinnacle of the observation tower two weeks ago and burgled the
elevator motor room - out of fear or an appreciation for the
sweeping, 50-mile view of the Atlantic Ocean and four states.
The raccoon was first spotted two weeks ago by an elevator
maintenance worker who saw "a pair of eyes looking at him" from
the darkness of the motor room, Astroland employee Carol O'Donnell
said.
In a check of the tower a few days later there was no sign of
the animal. But this past weekend, it was spotted anew, and
officials at Astroland, home of the Cyclone roller coaster, decided
a rescue was in order.
Blumenthal said the raccoon apparently had scaled a narrow metal
ladder inside the tower. "The problem was how we were going to get
him down," he said.
The fire department declined, on grounds there was no threat to
humans, Blumenthal said. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, which once carried out rescues, wasn't called.
"After another raccoon incident last year, they told us the
best thing to do was hire a private contractor" to retrieve the
animal, Blumenthal said.
Finally, Astroland employee Manuel Alvarez took an
animal-friendly Have-a-Heart cage, baited with the hot dog and some
cat food, to the top of the tower. During the night, the hungry
raccoon walked into the cage, bit the bait and was snared,
Blumenthal said.
Safely grounded, the 9-pound procyon lotor was awaiting
disposition to a parkland or forest where it can climb all the
trees it wants.
"Something better suited," Blumenthal said, "than the top of
an amusement ride."
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On the Net:
Astroland: http://www.astroland.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------
NEW YORK (AP) - Stranded for two weeks atop a 253-foot amusement
park tower at Coney Island, a wayward raccoon was finally lured to
safety with - what else? - a Nathan's Famous hot dog.
"But without the sauerkraut," said Mark Blumenthal, manager of
the Astroland Amusement Park, after the masked marauder was lowered
to the ground in a special cage on Tuesday.
Dubbed Rocky by park employees, the raccoon had climbed to the
pinnacle of the observation tower two weeks ago and burgled the
elevator motor room - out of fear or an appreciation for the
sweeping, 50-mile view of the Atlantic Ocean and four states.
The raccoon was first spotted two weeks ago by an elevator
maintenance worker who saw "a pair of eyes looking at him" from
the darkness of the motor room, Astroland employee Carol O'Donnell
said.
In a check of the tower a few days later there was no sign of
the animal. But this past weekend, it was spotted anew, and
officials at Astroland, home of the Cyclone roller coaster, decided
a rescue was in order.
Blumenthal said the raccoon apparently had scaled a narrow metal
ladder inside the tower. "The problem was how we were going to get
him down," he said.
The fire department declined, on grounds there was no threat to
humans, Blumenthal said. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, which once carried out rescues, wasn't called.
"After another raccoon incident last year, they told us the
best thing to do was hire a private contractor" to retrieve the
animal, Blumenthal said.
Finally, Astroland employee Manuel Alvarez took an
animal-friendly Have-a-Heart cage, baited with the hot dog and some
cat food, to the top of the tower. During the night, the hungry
raccoon walked into the cage, bit the bait and was snared,
Blumenthal said.
Safely grounded, the 9-pound procyon lotor was awaiting
disposition to a parkland or forest where it can climb all the
trees it wants.
"Something better suited," Blumenthal said, "than the top of
an amusement ride."
---
On the Net:
Astroland: http://www.astroland.com/
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