Ring of pain.
A rope collar cut from the infected neck of a mother raccoon.
Recently we wrote an article that told the sad tale of a mother raccoon that was taken by a wildlife removal agency.
In the course of removing the mother raccoon, the individual did not check for little ones left behind and sure enough three little babies were left orphaned and hungry.
The article ended with the babies being brought to Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary (AVWS) where to this day they are doing really well and will be returned to the wild where they belong. Our message was that these agencies need to be more diligent when removing wildlife from residences and businesses to ensure that the entire family is removed in order to avoid similar situations in the future.
This week, it is our pleasure to tell the story of another kind of wildlife removal agency. Not only did these people remove the nuisance animals, they probably saved the life of the mother raccoon and subsequently her two babies.
We received a call from Philip and Tamara of Muskoka Wildlife Control (Bracebridge) last week. They had been contracted to remove a raccoon from under a cottager’s deck. When they approached the deck, Tamara and Philip were accosted by a rather vile odour emanating from under the deck, which could only be equated to rotting flesh. Naturally it was assumed that a raccoon had succumbed and perished. This was not to be the case.
Upon further investigation, the team was able to capture a mother raccoon and two babies. The nasty smell was coming from the adult female raccoon. Tamara and Philip realized that there was something around the raccoon’s neck that was digging into the flesh, resulting in a severe infection.
Tamara and Philip called us and immediately brought the mom and babies to AVWS. The decision was then quickly made to seek veterinary care for the poor Mom.
Once again, off we went to see Dr. Garner at Country Cottage Veterinary Clinic in Parry Sound. Someone had foolishly placed a rope collar around the raccoon’s neck while she was young, neglecting to consider how their cruel actions would impact this unfortunate animal.
As the raccoon grew and developed, her flesh tried to grow around the collar creating an open wound which ultimately became incredibly infected. Dr. Garner administered a sedative in order to ease the raccoon’s discomfort and then removed the rope by cutting it away from the poor raccoon’s flesh. Dr. Garner inspected the wound and then began the arduous and odorous task of shaving, cleaning and dressing the injury.
Once the task was completed, and antibiotics prescribed it was back to AVWS for mommy raccoon. Then came one of those warm fuzzy moments that stay with you for a long time. Mom was placed into an enclosure and then her babies were brought to her. The reunion was truly a sight to behold. The little ones went straight to their mom and were enveloped safely in her warm body.
It’s moments like this that make it all worthwhile. Thank you Tamara and Philip of Muskoka Wildlife Control for caring enough to find a safe place for the mom and kids. Thank you Dr. Jennifer Garner of Cottage Country Animal Clinic for all you do for all the animals you care for. Thanks to you, it’s back to the wild for this adorable and very lucky family – back where they belong.
These articles are contributed by staff at the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary rehabilitates orphaned and injured wildlife with a mandate to educate the public towards a better understand of local fauna.