Adorable Raccoon Thinks He’s A Dog As fate would have it, one fine day,
Rosie Kemp had an expected visitor last year in her backyard. It was a one-month-old
raccoon with broken hind legs. The story has a happy and inspirational ending for all to see…
Rosie Kemp was not in the mood to rescue the raccoon at first.
However, when she noticed the poor animal’s fractured legs, she couldn’t help but bring
the raccoon home. It was just the beginning! What follows next is a remarkable tale of a wild
animal bonding with humans and especially dogs. Kemp is a Nassau, Bahamas, based resident where
raccoons are found in a huge abundance. It is legal to own these animals in the Bahamas.
Had it been the U.S., or the U.K, things would have looked rather bleak for Pumpkin.
The adorable raccoon was raised by Rosie Kemp and Laura Young, her young daughter.
Since the raccoon was rescued at a very young age, it was domesticated without any major setbacks.
As a matter of fact, as Kemp would recall it later, it was far easier to manage
and take care of Pumpkin when she was a baby. Raccoons are normally considered a wild animal;
they are nearly impossible to take care of if caught at a later age. Regardless, they are
unbelievably intelligent and have a knack for adjusting in their surroundings rather quickly.
Laura and Kemp told authorities that raccoons are able to express their emotions over a wide range
of actions. They can bear a grudge and throw a temper tantrum if things don’t go their way.
Pumpkin, the adorable raccoon, has been known to demonstrate same behavioral patterns.
However, since the animal has been living with her human benefactors,
she hardly goes out of control. Pumpkin was raised amidst dogs,
and she is made to believe that the four-legged friends are part of her very own family.
A lot of raccoon’s personality traits are like dogs. She wags her tail, plops over cushions,
watches TV, plays fetch and literally does almost everything that the dogs in Kemps’ family do.
Being a raccoon, Pumpkin has to get her hands in everything she can get a hold of.
As the animal grew up, it started exploring its surroundings, creating a mess whenever she could.
There came a point in Rosie Kemp’s life when she literally had to do
“raccoon proofing” throughout her house. She says it is like having a grown-up baby
that wouldn’t stop playing around. “Pumpkin plays with other dogs; sometimes she’s rough with them
but respects them when they have had enough.” Meanwhile, Laura believes that raccoons are
not categorically considered pets. Pumpkin has a mood of her own, and when she decides to go
out with the dogs, nothing can hold her back. They are wild animals, and they can be quite
moody, unlike regular house cats or dogs. Pumpkin sometimes acts like a spoilt kid when
she doesn’t get her way, but it’s the little things that make her all the more adorable.
The raccoon is living happily with Rosie, Laura and the dogs. As a matter of fact, Pumpkin is
so used to living indoors that she has grown a strong likeness towards the air conditioner.
Summers can be a little hard at the Bahamas. However, Pumpkin makes
sure that the family’s air conditioner is running while she can bask in the cool air.
Laura said that the raccoon even learned to use the toilet.
She used to use our dogs’ sandpit, but lately, the raccoon has been going to the bathroom on her own.
Thanks to the immense amount of love that Pumpkin has received at Kemp’s place,
she finally has a home where she can live happily for the rest of her life.
“We are very lucky with her and always want, and will do what is the best for Pumpkin,”
said Laura in a recent interview. “For now, she is more than happy to be with us and the dogs.”
Before you decide to keep a pet raccoon of your own,
do bear in mind that they are restricted in much of the U.S. Raccoons can carry rabies – and
while it could be the least of your concern, the animal itself is a danger to keep inside a house.
Raccoons are very curious by nature, and they can be destructive as with any wild species.
The best habitat for raccoons is wilderness. Should you find a poor fella’ in trouble,
make sure you inform the local wildlife rescuers before deciding to go along Rosie Kemp’s way!
Just days after Rosie and Laura shared Pumpkin’s photos on the internet,
millions of people shared their love for the adorable animal. Although people
generally dislike pets, they will always have a special place for Pumpkin in their hearts.
Just in case you have your own animal rescue story, don’t forget to share
it through the comments section below. Who knows, your animal might as well be
gaining a lot of traction on the internet if it gets attention from online visitors.