The other day, a homeowner in Kentucky stumbled upon a frightening scene. She’d discovered a black plastic bag splayed out on her neighbor’s lawn and heard someone rustling underneath.
When she lifted the bag, the woman was shocked to find a helpless skunk trapped in a cage with no one else around. The poor guy had been slowly losing oxygen under the bag until the kind neighbor came along to save him.
Second Chances Wildlife Center
The unsuspecting neighbor immediately called Second Chances Wildlife Center (SCWC) for help, and a volunteer soon arrived to assess the situation.
When the SCWC volunteer arrived, they spoke to the couple who lived on the property where the skunk was found and learned the sad truth about what happened.
After the skunk entered their home multiple times through an open garage door, the couple placed him in a trap and put a black plastic bag on top to prevent him from escaping. Then, they walked away.
Second Chances Wildlife Center
Luckily, their neighbor found the skunk just in time. And when the SCWC volunteer arrived, they spoke to the original homeowners about the proper way to deal with wildlife.
“[T]he volunteer that went to get him did a little bit of educating,” SCWC wrote in a Facebook comment. “We are at least thankful for their cooperation.”
According to Humane World for Animals, the best approach to remove a visiting skunk is to leave him alone and cut off any access to food or trash.
“Skunks are nocturnal and nonaggressive, plus they play a beneficial role,” Humane World for Animals writes on their website. “All good reasons to just leave them alone until they’ve moved on of their own accord (which they readily do) or can safely be encouraged to leave an area where they’re not wanted.”
Unsplash/Bryan Padron
While this skunk wasn’t able to leave on his own, he thankfully had a team of rescuers to help remove him. The SCWC volunteer loaded the skunk into their vehicle and drove to the center’s headquarters, where he was deemed healthy and unharmed from the day’s events.
The skunk settled into his outdoor enclosure that night and got some much-needed rest. Shortly after his arrival, a couple of new roommates showed up, and he couldn’t have been happier.
“This little skunk now has two new family members, which will help in their overall likelihood of surviving once released back to the wild,” Brigette Brouillard, SCWC’s founder and director, told The Dodo. “If they stay together through winter, they will conserve more energy.”
Second Chances Wildlife Center
As of now, the sweet skunk is soaking up his life with his new little family and team of doting caregivers. The SCWC crew hopes to release him into the wild soon and will continue to help him thrive until then.
After such a scary experience, the adorable skunk is finally safe and happy, thanks to the kind woman who refused to walk past a mysterious black bag in her neighborhood.
To help this skunk and other wildlife get the care they need, you can donate to Second Chances Wildlife Center here.
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