“My heart dropped.”
On a recent sunny day in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania, hundreds of people filled the city streets, enjoying shopping, dining, and live music. Amidst the bustling scene, a frightened wild animal cautiously peeked out from her hiding spot near a curb, just off the city square.
Eventually, a passerby noticed the unexpected visitor and came to a sudden stop.
“There, behind the flowerpot on the wall of the stairs, was a terrified, dehydrated momma groundhog,” Acorn Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation shared in a Facebook post.
Upon hearing about the groundhog, Acorn Acres founder Betsy Shank was deeply concerned.
“My heart sank,” Shank said. “[She] was only a few feet away from one of the largest and busiest intersections in the city.”
Aware that groundhogs in Pennsylvania are considered rabies vector species, Shank knew swift action was crucial for everyone’s safety.
“My team rushed out the door to reach the scene as quickly as possible,” Shank continued.
Using a tote covered with a piece of fleece, rescuers cautiously approached the groundhog and gently guided her into the safety of the dark tote. Eventually, the animal settled into the bin.
The team swiftly transported the groundhog out of the bustling square to Red Creek Wildlife Center, a local rehabilitation facility.
After regaining her strength at the facility, the groundhog was eventually deemed ready to return to her natural habitat in the wild.
“Since I am familiar with the area where she was released, I feel pretty confident in saying that it is unlikely she will ever return to a bustling city square,” Shank remarked. “Her future is filled with fields and forests, abundant with nature.”