A San Francisco apartment became an unexpected nursery for a raccoon family after a pregnant animal gave birth within the walls of a resident's unit. The situation escalated over months as scratching noises from inside the walls grew more intense, prompting the resident, Isaac Brodkin, and his roommate to seek help.
After notifying their property managers, Kenney & Everest Real Estate, an inspector confirmed the presence of raccoons. Despite attempts to deter the animals with repellent, the noises persisted. The situation culminated when Animal Control officers were called to the apartment. Officers discovered a mother raccoon and her newborn family after she had entered the building through an exterior wall opening of the former Zen Buddhist temple that housed the apartments. The mother raccoon eventually broke through into Brodkin's bedroom.
Video footage from Animal Control showed officers using flashlights to locate the mother raccoon peering through a hole in the wall. "Oh, there's one. Hi there. Did I disturb you?" one officer was heard saying. "That's the mommy. Hi, Mommy," two officers could be heard saying, according to ABC News.
Unable to tolerate the situation, Brodkin and his roommate vacated the apartment in June, fearing the animals might break through the ceiling. An exterminator later discovered that the mother raccoon had fallen and become trapped, succumbing to the ordeal. Brodkin expressed sadness over the mother's death, having felt a connection to the animals during their time living in close proximity. The infant raccoons, however, survived and were relocated. The management company reportedly provided Brodkin and his roommate with approximately $4,600 to cover reduced rent and moving expenses.