A new McDonald’s on Rideau Street is paying tribute to its predecessor’s most infamous guest by making a donation to a local raccoon sanctuary. Read MoreJust down the block from its old spot, owners of the new Rideau Street McDonald’s will make a donation to a local raccoon sanctuary.
Just down the block from its old spot, owners of the new Rideau Street McDonald’s will make a donation to a local raccoon sanctuary.
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Holly’s Haven Wildlife Rescue will be the benefactor of the wackier moments in the often sordid past of the previous Rideau Street McDonald’s, the site of many late-night disturbances before its closure two years ago.
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There, a raccoon became a sensation when a video emerged of a brawl at the 24-hour fast-food joint. In the middle of the clip, a man with a cigarette dangling from his lips can be seen at the edge of the frame, where he, inexplicably, pulls a baby raccoon from his zip-up hoodie before quickly stowing the creature away.
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Holly’s Haven will be able to expand its ability to care for the city’s wildlife thanks to a donation. It’s a local, non-profit wildlife rescue that rehabilitates and releases wild animals.
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Lynne Rowe started the sanctuary about seven years ago and is presently expanding to meet the community’s needs. This year, they welcomed over 270 wild animals, with raccoons at the top of the guest list.
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Currently, the shelter is home to 133 raccoons, including injured, orphaned and displaced kits and adults.
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“There is a growing need to help wildlife,” said Jamie Hindley, one of the directors of the centre.
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She said that, with the new housing development in the city, wild animals are being displaced from their homes due to construction.
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“That’s when we come in,” she said. “We pick up injured wildlife, anywhere from raccoons, coyotes, foxes, anything that is wild comes our way.”
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During the winter months, the rescue also receives calls from people who find animals such as bats, raccoons, and porcupines as they seek shelter from the harsh cold.
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For Hindley, the donation means a great deal to her and the rescue. She says that all their resources come from donations and fundraisers they host over the year, and the money raised helps cover expenses like food and veterinary bills.
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When a new animal arrives at the rescue, it goes to an isolation unit for two weeks to assess its health and to prevent the spread of disease.
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The donation will help fund a new isolation unit at Holly’s Haven and additional enclosures to accommodate both small and large animals.
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Hindley says the added space is crucial to ensure they don’t have to turn animals away.
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“The donation puts us one step closer to opening our isolation unit and helping more animals,” she said.