When a newborn baby raccoon lost his mama, he was cold and lonely.
While a Florida man rescued him, this person wasn’t experienced in helping raccoons.
When he saw the poor boy’s health take a turn for the worst, he knew he had to call in backup.
Keep reading to find out what happened next!
Calling in Backup
The baby raccoon was less than 4 weeks old.
His eyes hadn’t even opened yet, so he required a lot of time and attention.
Unfortunately, the man who rescued him didn’t have the time to give this baby everything he needed.
On top of that, the orphan’s health seemed to be getting worse.
He knew he needed to find someone to help, and fast!
So, the man reached out to a friend, who then called up their friend, Jaime, who had years of experience working as a veterinary technician.
A Friend in Need
As fate would have it, Jaime and this baby raccoon had something in common before they even knew each other.
They had both recently lost a parent, the raccoon his mama, and Jaime her father.
Jaime immediately said yes to taking the orphaned animal in, hoping that they could both help each other heal.
“I was devastated. I was very down and depressed,” Jaime said. “Taking this orphaned raccoon on was very therapeutic for me. He filled a huge hole in my heart.”
When she brought the sweet boy home, she named him Louie and vowed that she would help him through this, no matter what!
From Surviving to Thriving
Jaime didn’t leave Louie’s side for the first few weeks.
“I bottle fed him every couple of hours,” Jaime said. “I spent a lot of time taking care of him in the beginning.”
Working closely with a vet that specialized in exotic and wild animals, Jaime was able to get Louie’s health stabilized.
“Every day he grew bigger and stronger,” Jaime said. “Then, after a few weeks, his eyes opened.”
Louie had made it out of the woods, and things were only going to get better from there!
Learning the Ropes
As he got bigger, Jaime let him start spending time with the other animals in her home.
“He basically grew up with my dogs and my cats, thinking that he was one of them,” Jaime said.
Louie learned all kinds of things from his fur siblings.
“He will walk around the house and just kind of lay down next to you like a dog would,” Jaime said.
He loves to snuggle up with his whole family.
One of Jaime’s cats taught him how to climb trees, and her dog taught him how to swim!
But, that’s not all Louie learned how to do…
A True Artist
Jaime also taught Louie how to paint!
“Raccoons need a lot of mental stimulation,” Jaime said, “So, I thought painting might be a good outlet for him.”
He loves painting so much that Jaime eventually ran out of space in her house for all of his paintings!
So, she and Louie agreed to give the paintings to people in exchange for donations to a local rescue, Samadhi Wildlife.
Louie loves giving back to the community, but he also likes to indulge himself from time to time.
Living the Good Life
It’s been two years since Jaime took Louie in, and every day has been better than the last.
Louie now has a raccoon sister, Lucy!
They both love to do raccoon things together and play with their dog and cat siblings.
Louie’s favorite food is raw broccoli, but sometimes he sneaks a cookie or two.
He’s a little shy with new guests, but will warm up to people if they’re around frequently.
“He’s very full of life, and he’s very happy,” Jaime said. “He’s really living the life.”
One of a Kind
Louie truly is a unique boy, not just because of his painting skills, but also his personality.
Because Raccoons are wild animals, they typically do not do well in homes, especially with inexperienced caretakers.
“I would not recommend a raccoon as a pet to most people,” Jaime said. “They need a lot of time from their caretaker, a special vet, and a lot of space to roam.”
Jaime loves her life with Louie, but she knows it’s not possible for everyone to have.
Not only is Louie one of a kind, but Jaime has also put a huge amount of effort into making things work for both of them!
Because of Jaime’s hard work, Louie has the happily ever after he deserves!
Click here to follow Louie on Instagram and see all his beautiful art!