Staff at All Things Wild Rehabilitation in Georgetown, Texas, were busy feeding animals in the outdoor enclosures when they noticed a small visitor lingering nearby, sniffing the ground for leftovers. When they finally got a good look, they stopped in their tracks.
It was a skunk — and he was almost completely hairless.
The poor guy was suffering from a severe case of mange, leaving most of his body bald and irritated. He was clearly exhausted and hungry, and the staff immediately knew he needed help. Catching a skunk, though, isn’t always easy — but this one seemed to understand he was exactly where he needed to be.
“All of a sudden, he just kept showing up every day,” April, director of the rehabilitation center, told The Dodo. “It was almost like he knew this was the place to go. We rescue dozens of skunks every year, but we’ve never had one come to us on his own like this.”
The team set up a humane trap with food and waited. One morning, they found the skunk calmly inside, helping himself to snacks — almost as if he’d checked himself in.
With their new patient secured, the staff got straight to work. The skunk was examined and started on treatment for mange, including medication to heal his skin and ease the irritation. While his fur will take time to grow back, he’s already on the road to recovery.
For now, he’ll stay at the center throughout the winter. Once he’s healthy, fluffy, and strong again, he’ll be released back into the wild in the spring.
Despite his rough start and understandable stress, the skunk has already won over everyone caring for him. The team is giving him space and time to adjust — and slowly, he’s beginning to relax.
“He’s actually kind of sweet now that he’s calmed down,” Lauren, a wildlife care technician at All Things Wild, told The Dodo.
Somehow, this skunk seemed to know exactly where to go when he needed help most. And now, thanks to his perfect timing, he’s getting a second chance.
If you’d like to support his recovery, donations to All Things Wild Rehabilitation help make rescues like this possible.
