Colorado Resident In Disbelief After Discovering Surprise Guests Living In A Wood-Burning Stove
Sometimes the most unusual calls turn into the sweetest stories.
That’s exactly what unfolded in Jefferson County, Colorado, when animal control deputies responded to a call that was both surprising and heartwarming.
A local resident had stumbled upon some unexpected visitors making themselves at home inside their outdoor wood-burning stove.
But these weren’t ordinary squatters – they were a furry raccoon family, nestled into the soot as if it were their very own holiday retreat.
When deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrived, they carefully opened the stove door and were met with a sight that looked like it belonged in a children’s film.
Inside, five little raccoon kits were snuggled together with their mother, tucked into the warmth of the stove. But as soon as the door inched open, the mother raccoon sprang into action.
In a flash, she darted up the chimney and onto the roof, leaving a trail of ash behind her. As the sheriff’s office deputies joked in an interview:
“Like it was her personal action movie.”
Her getaway was nothing short of a Hollywood-worthy stunt, and she didn’t stick around to see what would happen next.
With the mother safely out of the way, the deputies focused on the little ones still tucked inside. Carefully, they lifted each kit out by the scruff, making sure not to frighten them.
The babies voiced their disapproval with high-pitched squeaks, clearly unhappy about being removed from what the sheriff’s office jokingly referred to as their “temporary Airbnb.”
“Oh my god,” one deputy exclaimed as she scooped up a soot-covered baby. “You’re so cute!”
One deputy couldn’t resist giving one of the little troublemakers a gentle scratch on the head, even though her gloves were now covered in ash.
The kits weren’t exactly cooperative either. They squirmed and wriggled in the deputies’ hands, doing their best to put up a playful fight.
Of course, no charges were pressed – how could anyone stay upset with faces that sweet?
The final baby, the sootiest of the bunch, seemed to accept the situation with calm resolve.
As the deputy lifted it out, it raised a tiny paw toward the body camera, a moment that instantly melted hearts throughout the department.
Once all five babies were safely out, the deputies found a quiet, leafy bush just outside the home where they could wait for their mother to return. As they shared:
“The babies were healthy, safe, and waiting for momma to make her way back, just a normal day for the JCSO Animal Control team.”
And with that, the Jefferson County Animal Control team wrapped up yet another day, this time with a story that ended on the happiest of notes.
No superhero capes were involved, but the compassion and care they showed were truly heroic. As they simply put:
“It’s what we do.”
Here’s hoping that the raccoon family reviewed the refund policy before moving out of their snug little stove getaway.
