St. Johns County Animal Control 904-209-6190

After leaving a voicemail for St. Johns County Animal Control, I imagined I had spoken into a Black Hole. The cynic in me whispered, “they’ll never respond”.

An hour later, a kind lady from St. Johns County Public Safety surprised me. She telephoned to promise an animal control agent would be assigned. I still expected long hours, even days, for a response, and likely never. And that would mean a long, painful death for Rocky, my name for the anguished raccoon in the photos.

The animal was first spotted early Wednesday morning by a Marsh Creek neighbor. The poor critter was struggling, in a state of delirium, by a mailbox in the Villas. The writer, returning on a morning walk, noticed it had moved from the mailbox to the opposite curb. All alone, it was wobbling, attempting to stand up, then falling. So sad.

“Distemper”, suggested a telephone respondent at one non-profit animal rescue. Their mission, the individual said, made them unable to help. Never mind.

But by 11:19am, SJC Animal Control had came to the rescue, literally. A gentleman named Ed returned my call from the scene to say the poor animal was found, and in their care.

A very impressive response. I told him my tax dollars were well spent, and thank you. And yes, the possibility of a rabid animal biting one of our neighbors may have driven the quick action, and rightly so.

Still, this was an animal in distress. And in the end, Rocky was cared for.