I got an interesting response on Facebook about this article. It was rather charming. I am checking to see if she minds if I cross post her story.
Many of these animals have made themselves MY pets. How would a injured/sick baby raccoon know to climb my screen and whimper for me to help it? She was so dehydrated, other than hydrating her I couldn't do a thing about the fleas and ticks. I held her in my arms all night feeling her breathe. I was so worried she�d die during the night. I felt her sweet little paws on my face all night feeling, making sure I was there. All night I could feel the bugs crawling on me. I had to deflea and detick myself after that night. She was a wonderful raccoon though. My favorite pets are the raccoon and the skunk.
Bears? I've been there too. I lived way back in the woods, on a cliff over looking a lake. We had a good and respectful relationship with the bears. Many times we crossed paths with mother bears and her cubs on our walks. One time I was walking a forest service road with my kids. I felt something behind me. A mother bear and her cubs had waited for us to pass before she crossed with her kids. She came out of the woods and crossed right behind us. I never felt alarmed, it was just what life was in the woods.
I love chickens too. All animals must eat something, I am certainly not favoring the raccoon. I spent a long time protecting my chicken from predators. But, that was nature. We had coyotes and raccoons on the ranch. I wish I could label their little foreheads with this is ok to eat and this is not
Pet raccoon