I saved a kit today
I was in the middle of a nap when the garbage man rang the doorbell. I just had a medical procedure so I couldn’t get up. I checked the cameras and saw a door to door salesman and the garbage man standing out there. They were talking about this little baby falling out of the tree but I couldn’t see it on the camera.
I eventually was able to go out and see it and quickly transferred it to a safe location because it was getting hotter by the second and it couldn’t walk or climb.
The other raccoons that have been in my trees have been here for generations (many decades) and they always come out at night. I had no clue the mama had a baby because she’s so young herself.
Anyway I knew if I held onto it until dusk they’d climb down and get it. So as I was waiting I thought I’d call and get some help from a local rehab to make sure I was doing everything correctly. They refused to give me instructions over the phone and immediately wanted to come pick it up. I refused. The last time I gave these rehabers a baby possum they took it and killed it immediately because the clinic was so overwhelmed. Later I looked up the rehab online and saw they had outdoor space but practically 0 indoor space. Enough room for a furnace and freezer. I cried and vowed to never release an animal to them again.
Then animal control showed up at my doorstep to take it away. They looked everywhere for it. I think the garbage man sent them, City services and all. They left and I waited and watched over it. Did my own research. I also grew up in the country so I kinda knew what to do but things have changed since well… the internet. I made sure not to touch it with anything but a towel. I kept it warm & didn’t feed it.
The salesman kept coming back onto my property and it was actually pissing me off. It was a mistake to call the rehab because they kept calling. Then a “raccoon specialist” started calling trying to get my address. Obsessed with trying to remove the raccoon from it’s home.
When dusk fell I put it back out there in a box with some food nearby for the nursing and worried mama. She came down and got it immediately & came back for the food and water.
If I hadn’t moved this kit Animal Services would have put it in that hotbox of a truck & (potentially) euthanized it or the rehab would have. The raccoon specialist seemed like she just wanted a baby raccoon. It was all sooo messed up. I’m so happy the raccoon is safe. I have no one to tell so thank you for listening.
And as for the time during the day it slept, tried to nurse on the towel, groomed itself, nuzzled in the towel, crawled a bit, and talked. It also would notice any time I wasn’t near by and start chattering.