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"Lots of people talk to animals,
not to many listen - that's the problem" Winnie the Pooh
Being a raccoon, by nature I'm cute,
adorable, intelligent and very determined. All of which is topped off with a streak of
stubbornness. I'm a raccoon and I will have things my way. In time, the nice people who
took me in, got tired of my inquisitive ways. Raccoons love to touch everything they can
find and since I'm a raccoon that's what I did. Top that off with a stubborn streak that
doesn't understand the word "NO" and you have a conflict afoot. Of course, I'll
always win!!
To sum up the situation, I think the conflict over my touching everything outweighed my
overwhelming cuteness. I found myself becoming unwelcome in my new home. But I was too
imprinted to be kicked out into the wild.
At this point, I thought if I got hungry, I could just get a human to feed me. They're so
easy to train after all. I've learned recently, however, that in the real world, humans
are not the nicest of creatures and it would be best for me to stay away from them. If I
approached one for food, it probably wouldn't understand what I was saying. I could end up
injured, dead, or worse, stuffed in a cage and neglected. Realizing this, the people who
gave me a home started searching for someone who was qualified; that had the proper state
and federal licensing and a proper facility to house me. Someone that could teach me to be
a wild raccoon again. This would be no easy task. After many phone calls, referrals and
many disappointments, contact was made with All
Wildlife Rescue and Education, Inc.
After AWRE passed the phone interrogation, my family wanted to make sure I would be
treated with love, proper care, respect and that I would be safe, I was taken to my new
home with AWRE. On arrival, I was given a thorough examination and was found to be
healthy, although I was a little dehydrated. This was no problem to fix; some fluids were
given and I got some "proper" food. It was good to have a full tummy. I don't
know what my previous family had been feeding me but it sure wasn't good for raccoons.
Dave, at AWRE, spent many hours researching all about me and learned how to make me, and
other imprinted like me, wild again. I think AWRE, through grants and donations, would
like to build a facility just for this purpose.
