ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A raccoon stuck in a tree for more than a week is causing tensions to run high in a Rochester neighborhood. Neighbors claim a man’s dogs are preventing the animal from coming down, but the man says he’s been doing exactly what’s needed to help the raccoon.

“I’ve been having visitors about this animal which is a coon which is in my yard and is in a tree. I’ve been trying to work with the people to get it down,” said Fred, the homeowner.

It all started a week ago when Fred noticed the raccoon climb up the tree in his backyard on Hague Street. Since then, it has only climbed higher.

“If the animal wanted to come down, it could come down. I removed the animals before, overnight and everything. He’s comfortable!” Fred said.

Ron Cole, who lives in the neighborhood, says dogs have been loose in the backyard, which is why he joined others outside Fred’s home demanding action.

“Tuesday afternoon, he said he was going to put the dogs away and he didn’t. Again on Wednesday, he said he was going to put the dogs away and he didn’t put the dogs away,” Cole said.

When News10NBC’s Bret Vetter arrived at Fred’s home, the dogs were in their kennel. A Humane Society official also came by to inspect the backyard.

“They feel like my animals, my dogs, are keeping the coon up. I moved them and he still wouldn’t come down,” Fred explained.

The official told Vetter that Fred’s dogs are taken care of and nothing was preventing the raccoon from coming down the tree.

Meanwhile, Ron’s wife Jenn says her animal rescue organization received an offer to help out. “We now have an offer for a volunteer to pay money to have a tree climber to come and scare the raccoon down,” she said.

It’s something Fred hopes will happen soon.

“I want him gone just as well y’all want to get him. So at the end of the day, come get him!” he said.

The Humane Society official says he will return to the house Monday to see if the raccoon has been able to make it down safely.