If you see an animal in need, you should help them. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get your hands dirty: if you’re scared or unsure of how to help, it’s probably best that you don’t intervene yourself. These things are serious and, potentially, dangerous.
That’s not just cats and dogs, either. You might find the most unlikely animals needing help. For one couple, they were out for a walk when they saw it: a raccoon had fallen into some deep water, and they decided to help him get out! A traffic cone, some willpower, and patience, and this sweet guy was safe and sound:
@usatodaypetsA couple out for a morning walk in South Carolina rushed to save a raccoon that was struggling to swim in nearby water, using a construction cone to help the little critter to safety. #usatodaypets #animalrescue
USA Today Pets reports that this happened in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s cooling down, so the cold water would have made things sadder even faster than if the temperatures were warmer. Luckily, they found him just in time, and there was some road work going on!
They repurposed one of the cones for a few minutes, and because raccoons have tiny, effective little hands, he was able to grab onto the rim! It took them a couple of tries, but eventually, he made it out. He wasn’t even hurt: just cold!
They didn’t take him to an emergency vet or a wildlife center or anything: he scurried off before they could grab him. However, we can see him running away in the last clip, and he’s doing just fine. Once he dries off, warms up, and gets some food in him, he’ll be good as new!
How to help animals in danger
If you see an animal in danger, no matter what they may be, you should try to help them. Luckily, there are some ways you can help animals who need it without getting super involved yourself!
When you encounter an animal and they need help, pause and assess. Is it an animal you’re comfortable with? If yes, will getting to them put you in danger? If the answer to that question is yes:
- Keep an eye on them and call your local non-emergency line.
- You could also call animal control.
- If it’s a dog or a cat, you also might want to call a local shelter who can send someone out.
Luckily, they got to this sweet raccoon in time! That could’ve ended badly!
