A late-night drive near Amarillo, Texas, took an unexpected turn when a woman swerved to avoid hitting a raccoon in the road.
Believing she’d narrowly missed him, she continued driving for another hour—completely unaware she hadn’t been alone.
When she finally pulled over in Amarillo, she was stunned to see small legs poking out 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,” Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (WWWRC) shared on Facebook.
It was just after 2 a.m. when the raccoon was discovered, and while most of the city slept, help was already on its way. Rehabber Amee Markham Smith and Officer Milburn rushed to the scene and found the frightened animal wedged headfirst into the grille.
Realizing they couldn’t remove him without causing more harm, Smith devised a careful plan. With the car owner's blessing, she cut into the grille to safely free the trapped raccoon.
You can see more pictures from his rescue here:
Once freed, he was gently placed in a carrier and taken to WWWRC for a full evaluation. There, the team discovered he had a broken jaw and a minor spinal fracture. They immediately began treatment and set him up in a comfortable recovery space.
Despite his injuries, the resilient raccoon has been making steady progress.
“He’s actually recovering quite well considering everything he went through,” Smith wrote. “He’s eating like a champ, and his mobility is improving daily.”
Though he’s still regaining his strength, the little survivor is on track to make a full recovery—and hopefully return to the wild once he’s healed.
To support animals like this determined raccoon, consider donating to Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center here.
