Quincy man accused of setting live racoon on fire now faces more serious charges

DEDHAM ‒ A Quincy man accused of lighting a live racoon on fire has been indicted on two felony counts of animal cruelty.

Officers brought the wounded racoon to New England Wildlife Center animal hospital in Weymouth, where it received around-the-clock treatment for two weeks before ultimately dying of its injuries.

Andrew Chieu, 63, was indicted in Dedham Superior Court on May 2. On Jan. 30, 2023, Chieu set a fire in his backyard in a tin can and placing the animal he caged on top "as the fire intensified," police said in a statement, citing video evidence.

The veterinary team was especially concerned about damage to the animal's paws, which New England Wildlife President Katrina Bergman said resemble human hands.

"They have more nerves in their hands than any animal in the animal kingdom," Bergman said. "There are more nerves in a raccoon's paw than in the human eye."

Staff at the animal hospital performed three surgeries to remove damaged tissue and administered medications for pain and secondary skin infections, according New England Wildlife Center's Facebook account. On Friday, Jan. 12, the racoon went into cardiac arrest and died .

Quincy Loves You: Refugee kids get special, fuzzy message from this Quincy woman. How she knew what to do

Things to do: Quincy Holi festival is literally an explosion of colors. Oh, and the food sounds amazing

New England Wildlife Center President Katrina Bergman said about 100 hours of active care, three surgeries and medication cost about $5,000.

Under Massachusetts law, a person convicted of cruelty to animals can be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in state prison, fined a maximum of $5,000, or both, with steeper penalties for subsequent offenses. Those convicted are also barred from working in any capacity that involves contact with animals.

Peter Blandino covers Quincy for The Patriot Ledger. Contact him at pblandino@patriotledger.com.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy man accused of setting live racoon on fire now faces more serious charges