Visiting raccoon closes B.C. elementary school for the day

The Central Okanagan School District asked families to keep their children home from South Kelowna Elementary School Monday due to a visit by an unexpected guest — a raccoon.

In a statement, the school district said staff discovered the animal had entered the building.

The district says conservation officers were called in to trap and remove it, but it climbed up into the space between the ceiling tiles and the ceiling, making it impossible for the officers to reach it.

"Due to the risk posed to staff and students if the wild animal felt cornered, staff took steps to keep people and the animal safe," the district said in a written statement.

However, the school district said conservation officers and staff were eventually able to guide the animal out of the ceiling space and out through a back door before lunchtime. 

The district said families were notified to keep their children home as soon as possible, but children who did show up would be transferred by school bus to Canyon Falls Middle School — about five kilometres away.

Raccoons have been known to bite. Last June, aggressive raccoons attacked two Metro Vancouver residents and their dogs.

WildSafeBC says it's difficult for individuals to trap and relocate raccoons and recommends hiring a qualified pest management company to assist.

Meanwhile, the school district says its staff will work with conservation officers and pest control professionals to ensure the school is safe and clean after the unexpected visit, with the school expected to reopen as usual on Tuesday.