The owners of a north Jackson daycare said they had to stop letting the children play outside because the raccoons are too big, and too aggressive.
Glenda Murriel, the owner of Granny’s Quality Daycare on North State Street, said daycare workers have seen as many as six raccoons at a time. They said some of the raccoons are as big as a 2-year-old child.
“The man who used to live here told me one time, ‘There’s a big cat turning your trash over.’ But I had to tell him, ‘It's not a cat. It's a raccoon,’” Murriel said.
On Thursday she decided to bring the children inside after she saw the raccoons climb up the fence surrounding the daycare.
“The children want to get out here and run around. But when we see (the raccoons), we take them in because we don't want them hurt,” Murriel said. “It’s just like dogs -- pit bulls attacking children. I don't want a lawsuit, as far as the kids getting hurt.”
Murriel said that she’s been calling everyone she can think of for help.
“I've called the mayor’s office. I've called code enforcement, the city, animal control, Mississippi Wildlife (Fisheries and Parks). Every time I call, someone says we don't do that,” Murriel said.
Instead of paying a fortune for a pest control company to come remove the raccoons, Murriel is looking for a department to claim responsibility for keeping the children at the day care safe.
“These are children. If one of the kids was bitten, parents would be upset -- rightfully so,” Murriel said.
Mississippi law prohibits anyone from shooting raccoons outside of hunting season.
Murriel said anyone who is willing to help rid the daycare of the raccoons should call
769-216-2508
.
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