When one family found a sick baby raccoon,
they refuse to let him die. Instead they dedicated themselves to his care and hope of releasing the
animal back into the wild. But one year after his rescue, they had a huge shock in store.
Kat Wagg is an animal lover. In fact, she believes that she has a special bond with wild creatures
and can instinctively understand their needs. So when she and her
family encountered an ailing raccoon one day in 2010, she knew that it needed their help.
The animal in question was in the bad state as the Wagg family discovered him
infested with parasites. And among the parasites were two big bot fly larvae
that had taken up residence in his ear. That wasn't the raccoons only problem however.
According to Wagg, the poor animal was suffering from abscesses
and some injuries as well. He also had become severely dehydrated.
They consequently went to the local wildlife officials to see what could be done to help
him. The officials claimed however that there was nothing they could do for a little raccoon.
So if the Wagg family handed him over, they would put the animal down. Unwilling to let that happen
then, the kindly Wagg’s decided to take him in themselves. The clan didn't have the first idea
about caring for a sickly raccoon though. So they buried their heads in research and
eventually hired a specialist animal rehabber to help their new friend, now named Loki settle in.
But the Waggs didn't just want to help heal Loki they also wanted to help give him all the skills
he'd need to return to the wild. So once Loki was feeling better, the Wagg’s allowed the animal to
come and go using a doggie door. The family also remained respectful of Loki's natural instincts.
For example, during mating periods, they knew to give him plenty of space that's because he
could become extremely aggressive towards anyone who bothered him. “I was the only one he could
tolerate and even I had to be very careful” Wagg subsequently revealed on her YouTube channel.
I let my guard down once and as a result, received five stitches on my right hand.
And that wasn't the only problem Loki posed. Since the Waggs gave him free reign of their home. They
had no way of controlling him, as a result he soon gained a reputation for being rather destructive.
“I've had many valuables broken, fabrics ripped apart and even a hole in the wall”,
Wagg revealed. “I don't believe in caging animals except for transport to the vet or
to sleep at night. Loki was never caged; he was always free to go as he pleased”.
Deep down though, the family knew that everything would be worth it,
if they could re-release Loki back into the wild. It soon became clear however,
that the animal wasn't going anywhere. So, he continued to live with his adopted family.
“Most animals naturally respond to the call of the wild and leave their parents
to live on their own”, Wagg explained. “Loki was a rare exception and would
leave no matter how much we encouraged him”. The wags thankfully had the patients to cope with
living with a wild animal under their roof. And eventually he did all the things normal pets do.
For instance, footage from the house showed him curling up on the sofa and even enjoying a bath.
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Now, back to the story. The happy times were not to last for long however,
in May of 2011, just one year after they’d taken him in. The Wagg’s took Loki for his
parvo injection. Parvo is a highly contagious and deadly virus common among dogs and other mammals.
It was vital then to protect the raccoon. However, the vaccination itself posed unforeseen risks.
And in a tragic twist of fate, it was this controversial inoculation that
claimed Loki's life. Indeed, he passed away in the arms of his adopted parents
shortly after receiving the injection. For those of you who've asked how Loki died, “he had a fatal
reaction to the distemper/Parvo modified live (MLV) vaccine”, Wagg later revealed on YouTube.
“Had I known the risks associated with the MLV vaccine, I would have insisted on a recombinant
vaccine, which is a much safer choice. Thank you all for your kind comments”. She added
addressing Loki's online fans. “I'm sorry, I don't have time to answer them all. I do read them
all and I'm thankful so many have experienced a little morsel of our most beloved friend Loki”.
All the family were left with their memories of Loki yet, despite their fond recollections
of the raccoon, they still don't believe that people should keep the species as pets. “Loki
was not a pet” Wagg insisted. “It takes a special kind of person to be able to live with a raccoon,
too many people wouldn't have the patience, love and understanding to give them the life
they deserve and need”, she added. “So, I do not condone keeping wild animals as pets”.
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