A cheerful boy was strolling through the streets of Hammond, Louisiana, enjoying an ordinary day when something caught his eye. Near a storm drain, a small, fuzzy shape rested on the ground.
He sensed immediately that something was wrong. Rather than approaching it himself, he called for his parents to come see.
When they arrived, the family realized the situation required professional help and quickly contacted the appropriate rescue team.
Saved Just Before It Was Too Late
Huddled near the storm drain was a tiny baby skunk, a kit, completely exposed and in danger. The family felt deeply for the fragile creature but knew handling it themselves could be risky.
They reached out to Geaux Wild Rehab, a wildlife rescue center based in Hammond. Tisha Raiford, the center’s director, asked them to bring the baby skunk in and expressed gratitude for their careful intervention.
“I am so thankful for people who stop to rescue an innocent life and don’t just turn their backs and keep going by,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
Upon arrival, Tisha and her team discovered the urgency of the rescue. The kit had maggots on a sensitive area, which could have caused severe damage if left untreated.
“I am so glad she was found because maggots can cause so much damage. Praying that she will be strong and healthy and NOT poof again,” Tisha wrote in the post.
Thanks to the skill and prompt care of the veterinary staff, the baby skunk was quickly stabilized and no longer in immediate danger.
A Determined Survivor Finds Her Strength
As days passed at the rehab center, the little skunk began to regain energy and vitality.
“She’s thriving,” Tisha told The Dodo. “She’s eating and growing just as she should … She’s a spicy little thing. She likes to spray.”
Once overlooked by everyone passing by, she now thrived under the attentive care of the team.
Her recovery was steady, and the final step remained: returning to the wild where she truly belonged.
That day was approaching, and she would face it not alone but with the support that had given her a second chance at life.
“She’ll go in that group of eight,” Tisha said. “And the whole group will be released together.”