While walking her dog through the woods of Northern Virginia, one woman suddenly noticed her pup acting unusually alert. Curious, she followed his gaze — and that’s when she saw it.
Lying on the forest floor was a tiny creature, no bigger than a leaf, fast asleep and all alone.
Not sure what she was looking at, the woman called FoxTales Wildlife Rehab for advice.
“We got a call about a mystery animal,” the group shared in an Instagram post.
On the phone, rehabilitator Elizabeth Negron helped identify the little one: it was a newborn raccoon.
Negron asked the woman a series of questions to make sure the baby wasn’t injured and confirmed he was moving and alert. Since raccoon moms often leave their babies briefly while foraging, Negron suspected the mother was still nearby. She instructed the woman to carefully place the baby in a warm, blanket-lined box — and wait.
“Reuniting mom and baby is always the priority,” Negron told The Dodo.
The woman checked back a few hours later and was overjoyed to discover the box was empty. The baby had been safely retrieved by his mom.
“I was so happy to get the call back letting me know the baby was reunited,” Negron said. “As much as I love caring for babies, nothing is better than knowing a mom is healthy and able to take her little one home.”
For young raccoons, staying with their mother and siblings is essential for their development and survival.
Thanks to one observant dog — and his compassionate owner — this tiny raccoon was given the best gift possible: the chance to grow up wild, right where he belongs.
To support rescues like this, you can donate to FoxTales Wildlife Rehab through their Amazon wishlist.
