Colorado Police Discover Raccoon Family Living Inside A Wood-Burning Stove
Sometimes, the most unexpected calls lead to the sweetest stories. That’s exactly what happened in Jefferson County, Colorado, when animal control deputies received a call that was both wild and adorable.
A local resident had discovered some surprise guests living rent-free in their outdoor wood-burning stove.
But these weren’t just any squatters, they were a furry little family of raccoons, curled up in the soot like it was their cozy vacation home.
When deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrived, they gently opened the stove door and were greeted by a soot-covered scene straight out of a kids’ movie.
Inside were five tiny raccoon kits and their mother, all curled up in the warmth of the stove. But the moment the door creaked open, momma raccoon made her move.
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.”
It was a dramatic escape worthy of a Hollywood stunt double, and she didn’t even wait to hear her rights.
Still, with the mother safely out of reach, the deputies turned their attention to the little ones left behind. One by one, they gently lifted the babies out by the scruff of their necks, careful not to startle them.
Each kit protested with tiny squeaky chirps, clearly not thrilled about being evicted from what the sheriff’s office affectionately called their “temporary Airbnb.”
“Oh my god,” one deputy exclaimed as she scooped up a soot-covered baby. “You’re so cute!”
Another deputy gave the little rascal a loving rub on the head, despite the layer of ash that now coated her gloves.
The kits didn’t go quietly. They wriggled and squirmed in the deputies’ hands, trying their best to resist arrest. But no charges were filed, after all, who could stay mad at these adorable faces?
The last baby, covered in the most soot of all, seemed to accept its fate with quiet dignity. As it was lifted out, it gave a tiny wave to the deputy’s body camera, a gesture that melted hearts across 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 just like that, another day ended with a happy ending for the Jefferson County Animal Control team. No superhero capes were involved, but the compassion and care they showed were truly heroic. As they simply put:
“It’s what we do.”
And hopefully, that raccoon family took a good look at the refund policy before checking out of their cozy little stove.
