He’s lucky to be alive! A woman in Texas was on a midnight drive toward Amarillo earlier this week when an unsuspecting raccoon darted onto the road. Swerving to avoid the raccoon, the driver continued her journey for another hour before realizing she had an unexpected passenger.
Upon pulling over, she was stunned to find the raccoon’s legs protruding from behind her front license plate.
“Unbeknownst to her, the raccoon had actually found [his] way into the car’s grille and remained trapped there for more than an hour until she made a stop in Amarillo,” Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (WWWRC) explained on Facebook. It was just after 2 a.m. when the driver made the discovery, and most of the city was asleep. Fortunately, WWWRC rehabber Amee Markham Smith and a local officer were on alert and ready to assist.
Smith and Officer Milburn rushed to the scene, where they found the raccoon wedged head-first into the car’s grille. Realizing they couldn’t extricate him without causing further harm, Smith devised an alternative plan.
“Huge thanks to the car owner for allowing Amee to cut into the grille of the car to get him out,” WWWRC wrote. After a careful and determined effort, the rescuers successfully freed the raccoon. They placed him in a cozy cage and transported him to WWWRC’s headquarters.
A full-body examination at the rehabilitation center revealed the raccoon had sustained injuries, including a broken jaw and a small spinal fracture. The team immediately began treating his injuries and provided a temporary habitat for his recovery.
A few days after his rescue, Smith reported that the raccoon was already feeling much better. With consistent love and care from his friends at WWWRC, he has made significant strides in his recovery and continues to grow stronger daily.
“He’s actually recovering quite well considering everything he went through,” Smith commented on WWWRC’s Facebook post. “He’s eating like a champ and his mobility is improving daily.”
The resilient raccoon is still regaining his strength, with hopes of eventually returning to the wild. Until then, his friends at WWWRC will continue to shower him with love and remind him just how lucky he is.