In suburban neighborhoods, seeing the occasional wild animal usually comes with the territory.
A squirrel racing across the grass or a raccoon sniffing around the trash cans can feel like just another ordinary part of the day. Most people notice it, maybe glance for a second, and then go right back to whatever they were doing.
But hearing or finding signs that something wild has been living inside the house is a whole different kind of surprise.
That was the strange situation one Colorado family found themselves facing when they noticed something unusual going on inside their woodstove. Instead of trying to handle it on their own, they made the smart call and reached out to Animal Control for help.
An Unexpected Household Of Guests
In a quiet Colorado neighborhood, a family began to notice odd signs coming from their woodstove.
Rather than investigate on their own, they chose caution and contacted the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for help.
Animal control officers K. Bennett and K. Rupe arrived and quickly traced the mystery to the chimney.
The animals had entered from above and appeared to have been living inside the stove for a while, calm and completely at ease.
The officers, K. Bennett and K. Rupe, told The Dodo: “We laughed at first, because when we first opened the door, mama raccoon was still in the fireplace. We had to shut the door very [quickly]. She ran back up the chimney, and that’s when we were able to open the door and get the babies.”
Wearing protective gloves, the officers carefully removed the baby raccoons and placed them safely into a nearby bush outside the home.
After that, they went back inside to retrieve the mother.
The raccoon family remained surprisingly relaxed throughout the process, allowing the officers to work without incident.
A Quiet Departure Under Cover Of Night
Once reunited outdoors, the mother and her babies stayed close to the house for a short time. By the next morning, the homeowner noticed they were gone.
It seemed likely the raccoons had moved on to a more suitable natural shelter and would not be returning to the chimney.
Of course, there was no absolute way to be certain. They could have simply found another nearby home with an open chimney.
To prevent future surprises, the officers recommended installing a chimney cap. While situations like this are rare, leaving them unaddressed can lead to bigger issues.
Thanks to the family’s calm decision-making and the careful handling by Colorado animal control, the situation was resolved quickly, safely, and without harm to anyone involved.