Overview
- A mid‑July viral clip of a short‑spined Ballard raccoon nicknamed Jimothy sparked widespread fan art, tattoos, murals and an official Seattle proclamation calling it “Jimothy Summer.”
- A city art contest produced winning pieces by Kayla Carabes and Virginia McFadden that will be displayed in Seattle City Hall.
- An Instagram auction of a Jimothy painting triggered matching gifts from regional companies and Amazon’s additional $200,000, pushing total donations for the Ballard Food Bank past $270,000.
- The Seattle Mariners staged a Jimothy Night with themed giveaways and a $2-per-ticket pledge to the food bank, and an attendee filmed a raccoon running in the stadium rafters during the event.
- Wildlife and veterinary officials warn that feeding, crowding or approaching Jimothy risks habituation, disease and vehicle strikes and ask residents to secure trash and contact rehabilitators only for injured animals.