A sicko was caught on camera in California chasing a raccoon and trying to burn it with a blowtorch.
The disturbing footage was released as authorities in San Francisco hunt the attacker — fearing he could attack other animals, and even turn his hatred on humans.
It shows the raccoon darting around a fence and trying to hide in some bushes, only to be pursued by the blowtorch-wielding fiend who repeatedly tries to set it on fire before it escapes.
“The raccoon does appear to already have a burn scar on his back at that time. And then the unidentified person runs away,” Rebecca Fenson, a supervisor with Animal Care and Control, told KTVU.
“It’s probable, or likely, that this person has harmed animals, especially wildlife, before this. It does appear that he had already burned the raccoon and was still pursuing it, which shows a mentality of someone who is perhaps familiar with cruelty to animals,” Fenson warned.
“It should be noted that people who hurt animals are often capable of hurting humans. It’s just violence.”
The footage was captured on home security footage by a resident, who raised the alarm with local authorities.
Raccoons, while mischievous and possibly irritating, are typically harmless to humans and pets. Most just want to pick through garbage cans or dumpsters for a snack, Fenson said.
“They might do damage to property, like climbing houses and leaving scratch marks, or messing up a porch or something, but that’s not being aggressive, they’re just living,” she said.
“There was one aggressive individual in that video and that was the human.”
The attacker could be charged with harassment of wildlife, a misdemeanor, Fenson said.
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