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From there, Stephen called the city to ask for assistance, but the response from Ottawa bylaw services yielded much the same result.

“They said that in fact they do not rescue animals, sick or otherwise. They said they don’t do roofs, or have anyone trained to capture animals,” Stephens said. He added that their response was contrary to what he’d been told by the office of Coun. Jan Harder.

Stephen then called the Ontario SPCA but was directed back to bylaw services.

“The SPCA said this was a function they used to take care of, which has now been taken over by the City of Ottawa. But bylaw staff is saying that’s not the case.”

In an emailed response, bylaw services director Roger Chapman confirmed that “all requests for service about animals inside or on top of private dwellings should be directed to private wildlife removal companies.”

On Monday afternoon Stephen found a company that agreed to rescue the animal, but at a steep price: Pest Control Ottawa Inc. told him he would have to pay $350 to have the animal removed, and would still have to pay $100 even if the catch was unsuccessful.

Chapman said bylaw services do have officers who are “specially trained to assess, retrieve and transport small injured or sick wild animals.” But in the case of an animal stuck on a roof, they do not have the provincially mandated certification or the proper equipment to work at those heights.

“Bylaw, private industry and the SPCA are all pointing the fingers at each other, which leaves the animal stuck up there,” he said.

By late Monday, the raccoon was still on Stephen’s roof, and Stephen said he would pay the pest control fee if the raccoon was still there on Tuesday, but worried the animal might die by the time help comes its way.

But when he checked Tuesday, the animal had made its way off the roof.