HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and many Americans are heading to their pools for some relief from the heat.
A trio of raccoons felt the same way.
A California resident was awakened when his dog was barking uncontrollably. Jimmy Sena, of Huntington Beach, then saw the raccoons poolside, ready to take a dip, KTLA-TV reported.
A trio of raccoons were caught living it up in a Huntington Beach man's backyard pool. https://t.co/b946e0rNCf
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) May 27, 2023
Sena said his dog, Hank, was barking and scratching a door at about 5:45 a.m. PDT on Friday, according to KABC-TV.
Sena said he looked through his sliding glass door into his backyard and saw the raccoons poolside, KTLA reported. All they lacked were drinks with tiny umbrellas in them.
Sena took about two minutes of video as the animals frolicked in the pool.
He said that the raccoons stayed in the pool for approximately 20 minutes and “weren’t concerned about us watching at all,” the television station reported.
“Look at this guy over here, he’s like, ‘Hey guys, I’m in the deep end,’” a woman in Sena’s video says, according to KABC.
Two of the raccoons eventually left, but the third one hung around for another 45 minutes, KTLA reported.
“That was a first – never saw this in the 20+ years I’ve lived here,” Sena told the television station.
No matter how cute the scene might have been, wildlife officials urge caution. Officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recommend that residents keep their distance and avoid feeding them.
Drinks are discouraged, too.