It was a day like any other when Maria took her dog Bello for a walk in the woods in northern Virginia. But the day was not to remain as normal as it had begun.
On the way, she noticed that her dog was excitedly drawing attention to something. On closer inspection, Maria finally discovered a tiny animal, barely bigger than a leaf, lying lonely and asleep on the forest floor.
Unsure how to proceed, Maria contacted the animal welfare organization FoxTales Wildlife Rehab and reported her find.
A lonely baby animal
„We received a call about a mysterious animal.“
the organization later wrote on Instagram.
Over the phone, Elizabeth Negron, an animal caretaker at FoxTales, confirmed Maria’s suspicions: it was a baby raccoon.
Elizabeth asked Maria lots of questions. She was able to confirm that the baby had no injuries and was moving.
Negron suspected that the mother raccoon was probably nearby and advised Maria to put on gloves, place the baby raccoon in a warm box with blankets and wait for the mother to return.
„Reuniting mother and baby is always a top priority!“
elizabeth emphasized to The Dodo.
The little family is reunited
After several hours, Maria returned to the box and was overjoyed to find the baby gone. She called Elizabeth and told her the good news.
„I was so happy when I got the call back and found out that the baby had been reunited with its mother.“
elizabeth rejoiced.
„As much as I love having the babies with me and taking care of them because I really love what I do, it’s always nice to know that the mom is alive and well to take her baby back.“
According to Elizabeth, young raccoons are very dependent on their siblings and their mother for their development. Leaving them with their family is always the best way to ensure they have a happy life.
Thanks to Maria’s efforts and Elizabeth’s help, this baby raccoon and its mother were given a second chance at life in the wild and were certainly overjoyed to be reunited.
