Raccoon Recovers After Arrow Removed From Face
Plymouth Animal Control caught the injured raccoon on Monday after a week of attempts, and the Cape Wildlife Center removed the arrow.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Wildlife
A raccoon with an arrowhead lodged in its face was captured by Plymouth Animal Control on Monday after a week of attempts. The Cape Wildlife Center removed the arrow without causing further damage and treated the animal.
Why it matters
The arrow was fired from a small metal crossbow and passed through the side of the raccoon's face, a case that highlights the risks wildlife faces from improper weapon use. Wildlife rescue efforts in Plymouth and across Cape Cod depend on prompt capture and veterinary care.
The arrow passed through the side of the raccoon's face and missed the eye and other major soft tissue structures. The raccoon was sedated for examination and X-rays before the arrow was removed.
The players
Cape Wildlife Center
A wildlife rehabilitation organization on Cape Cod that removed the arrow and is treating the raccoon.
Plymouth Animal Control
The local municipal agency that captured the injured raccoon after a week of attempts.
Environmental Police
The state law enforcement division that was notified of the arrow injury to the wild animal.
The details
Plymouth Animal Control spent a week trying to catch the raccoon before succeeding on Monday. The Cape Wildlife Center sedated the animal, took X-rays, removed the arrow, and notified Environmental Police.
Timeline
Monday (week of Nov. 8, 2026): Plymouth Animal Control captures the raccoon after a week of attempts.
Wildlife Context
The Cape Wildlife Center is the regional rehabilitation facility that treated this raccoon, and cases like this show how local rescue organizations respond to human-caused wildlife injuries. The rescue illustrates how Cape Cod wildlife care depends on coordination between municipal animal control and licensed rehabilitators.
Plymouth residents who encounter injured wildlife can contact local animal control for capture and transport. Keeping archery equipment and crossbows secured reduces the chance of wildlife injuries in the area.
The takeaway
Injured wildlife is best left to trained responders, who can capture and treat animals safely. Prompt reporting to animal control helps animals like this raccoon get care sooner.
Further reading
For more on animal rescue cases like this one, see Wildlife coverage.
