{"id":9596,"date":"2018-12-18T20:44:36","date_gmt":"2018-12-18T20:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/?p=9596"},"modified":"2018-12-18T20:44:36","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T20:44:36","slug":"florida-cyclist-carries-lost-baby-raccoon-asking-desperately-for-help-in-his-backpack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/trending\/florida-cyclist-carries-lost-baby-raccoon-asking-desperately-for-help-in-his-backpack\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Cyclist Carries Lost Baby Raccoon Asking Desperately For Help In His Backpack"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Sometimes a little kindness goes a long way. A retired Tallahassee Police Sergeant was out for a relaxing bike ride when he spotted a baby raccoon in distress. The story of how he got the orphaned raccoon to safety will warm your heart.<!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<div id=\"thede-4221960985\" class=\"thede-proper-below-img-2-2 thede-entity-placement\"><div data-ad=\"thedesigninspiration.com_fluid_sq_2\" data-devices=\"m:1,t:1,d:1\"  class=\"demand-supply\"><\/div><\/div><div id=\"thede-2737177373\" class=\"thede-proper-below-img-2 thede-entity-placement\"><div data-ad=\"thedesigninspiration.com_fluid_sq_2\" data-devices=\"m:1,t:1,d:1\"  class=\"demand-supply\"><\/div><\/div><h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">13. Distress Signal<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93313\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93313\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/raccoon-bike.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93313\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/raccoon-bike.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"638\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93313\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Tallahassee Police Department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retired Tallahassee Police Sergeant Dave Ferrell is a dedicated cyclist and a nature-lover. On August 16, he was enjoying a relaxing ride on the Tallahassee-St. Marks rail-trail in Tallahassee, Florida, when a frightening sound stopped him dead in his tracks. There was an animal in distress.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">12. Baby Raccoon<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93335\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93335\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-baby.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93335\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-baby.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93335\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Image: Tallahassee Police Department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ferrell quickly stopped his cycle. There, in the middle of the singletrack path, was a tiny raccoon. It was crying in distress, and all alone. Ferrell reacted immediately.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">11. Careful<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93311\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93311\" style=\"width: 690px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Bike-Florida-hikes.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93311\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Bike-Florida-hikes.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"690\" height=\"518\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93311\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since Ferrell is an outdoor enthusiast, he knew just what to do. First, he started looking for the little one\u2019s mother. Experts advise not to remove wild animals right away when they are found; often their mother or siblings are nearby.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">10. Searching<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93333\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93333\" style=\"width: 854px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Aligator-Peanut.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93333\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Aligator-Peanut.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"854\" height=\"570\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93333\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Newsweek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But this time, the raccoon was on its own. Despite Farrell\u2019s best efforts, he couldn\u2019t find the baby raccoon\u2019s mom. Farrell knew he had to do something to help, so he took off his backpack and got down on the ground. Luckily, he was wearing a Camelbak &#8211; a rugged bag for hydration and just the right size for a baby raccoon!<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">9. Good Samaritan<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93323\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93323\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Trail.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-93323\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Trail-1024x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"534\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93323\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farrell was once the supervisor of the Tallahassee Police Department\u2019s Bike Squad. He was great at thinking on his feet &#8211; and his pedals. He knew that in the wildlife of North Florida, many dangers could jeopardize the raccoon\u2019s life.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">8. Rescued<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93329\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93329\" style=\"width: 480px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/raccoon.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93329\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/raccoon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"320\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93329\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Image: Tallahassee Police Department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So Farrell loaded the little raccoon in his backpack and pedaled him to safety at the Tallahassee Police Department. \u00a0\u201cMom was nowhere to be found, and I couldn\u2019t leave him out there for the \u2019yotes to finish [him] off, so I loaded him up and brought him in,\u201d Ferrell explained in a Facebook post. Yotes being &#8220;coyotes.&#8221;<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">7. Trail Head<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93325\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93325\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Trailhead.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-93325\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Trailhead-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93325\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An officer from the Tallahassee Police Department met Farrell at the trailhead to make sure he had a special escort. The two made the trip together. The raccoon was scared but felt much more secure.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">6. Relaxed Ride<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93319\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93319\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-sleep.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93319\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-sleep.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"311\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93319\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Tallahassee Police Department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;He really relaxed and enjoyed the ride in that CamelBak,&#8221; Ferrell wrote. &#8220;He just kind of chilled out back there!&#8221; The pictures show a pretty chill little guy. He seemed to sense that he was in the right hands.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">5. Highly Intelligent<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93457\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93457\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/petslady-racooon.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93457\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/petslady-racooon.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93457\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Petslady<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raccoons are very common in Florida and are often seen around homes, campsites, and parks. They are usually harmless and are highly intelligent. Although some consider raccoons as pests, it is important to let animal control help remove raccoons so they can do so safely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">4. Healthy Eaters<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93327\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93327\" style=\"width: 666px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Trash.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93327\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Trash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"666\" height=\"411\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93327\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Florida.gov<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raccoons love to eat and can eat almost anything. Many people start feeding raccoons, which love getting handouts. This leads raccoons to move into more urban areas, as they search for food in garbage cans, sheds, and garages. Still, they are total charmers.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">3. Wildlife Rescue<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93337\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93337\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Doe.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-93337\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Doe-1024x538.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93337\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: St. Francsis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once they made it back to the station, the police contacted St. Francis Wildlife Rescue, named after the patron saint of animals. Says St. Francis: St. Francis Wildlife is the oldest and largest agency of its kind in the Florida panhandle that cares for all native wild animals that come into our hospital. They care for approximately 3,000 birds, mammals, and reptiles per year.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">2. Bad Shape<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93315\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93315\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Goose-Creek-Wildlife-Sanctuary.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93315\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Raccoon-Goose-Creek-Wildlife-Sanctuary.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93315\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Wakulla Wildlife Sanctuary<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emily Shaw was in charge of his care. Unfortunately, he was in poor shape. He was covered in fly egg parasites, so she carefully removed each one. It was obvious that if he had been left on the trail, he would have been prey for a larger animal soon. He was rescued just in time.<\/span><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">1. Healthy<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_93331\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93331\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/raccoon1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93331\" src=\"http:\/\/designbump.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/raccoon1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-93331\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: Tallahassee Police Department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shaw nursed him back to full health. She told The Dodo that he had a new lease on life.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;He is doing fantastic!&#8221; Shaw said. She credited Farrell for saving him. &#8220;He almost certainly would have died if [Ferrell] had not found him.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes a little kindness goes a long way. A retired Tallahassee Police Sergeant was out for a relaxing bike ride when he spotted a baby raccoon in distress. The story&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9598,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trending"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9596"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9596\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9600,"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9596\/revisions\/9600"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedesigninspiration.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}