"Petzi", that's how I called the four month old raccoon baby, who had been given to us. A mean and brutal human had hurt her with a sharp tool in a most brutal way; he degraded her and took her away from her mother and her siblings. Not even the veterinary surgeon wanted to help her! She was biting and scared from the pain and the hate towards humans.

I just cannot understand how humans are capable of such brutal abusing. It breaks my heart to look into such little sad eyes. I feel with my animals, as if I was an animal. But should it not be like that anyway? Animals feel, animals love, they feel every pain exactly as you and I do!

Would something like that happen to a human child, the newspapers would be full of it, but it is only a "raccoon"! The Indian summer had come very early this year. It was only the middle of September and the time of raccoon-foundlings actually over. At this age hurt orphans usually don't have a chance of being found. The life with their mother taught them to be cautious towards humans. Up to the first snow fall babies that are at the age of four months often still have a good chance of survival. However most do not survive the winter! In Canada the winters are so cold and so long that adult animals often struggle to get through the winter.

Petzi had the luck that someone found her and brought her to us! Sitting in a corner of a small cage, she observed me thoroughly. Her eyes told me, what she had to go through and how much she hated humans! I wanted to do something to relieve her suffering, but she did not let anybody come near her. Her hate was moderated by her large hunger and she finally drank water and ate greedily the food, which I pushed very carefully with a cooking spoon into her cage. With a little aspirin, which I had mixed under the fodder, I could finally relieve her pain a little. Petzi ate and slept very much. I put her cage into my kitchen, so that she could always see me and know that she was not alone in this brutal world.

Many weeks passed. Petzi could now be stroked with my "magic wand", a cook spoon. Her eyes became somewhat clearer and I hoped for us both that she will be able to lead a normal life one day. She moved only slowly from one corner to the other and dragged her hind leg after her. For us it was clear: she is paralyzed! I swore myself always to be there for my beloved Petzi and I think, she knew!

Our planned vacation had to be cancelled. I could not give Petzi to anybody to look after, because she hated humans so much. I could not do that to her.

My husband had once again a brilliant idea: Rent a Camper van and simple drive off!! With the dogs, Petzi and our five squirrels, which we also raised, we drove off in the next few days. We simply needed a change of location for a few days, because this year we raised 18 raccoon babies and four marmots.

A friend fed our raccoons and marmots every day, while we allowed ourselves a vacation. At this time, in September, the raccoons are very strong, often roam all day long in the forests and return only for food and to sleep.

It was fantastic! This motor-home was super! An enormous bed, a kitchen, a small bathroom, a dinette and sufficient place for all our animals. Everywhere where we found a nice place at a lake or a river, we stayed for one or two nights. Petzi liked it. I could see and feel how she became calmer with each day. I was still not allowed to touch her yet, but she let me open the cage, to put fresh towels into her bed. The small bear, which I put into her corner, she loved.

Eight days we were on the trip and visited at the end a small animal station, which gets supported by the state. Many animals are accommodated here, bear babies, moose babies and many others, that need help. It is not after my taste, because all of them are locked up. Since there are so many, it has to be like that, even if I do not like it. However there are very nice people there, who do very much for the animals.

When I saw the raccoons and the marmots, which were accommodated here, nothing could hold me back me. My love for raccoons is so great that I had to go into this cage, and greet the animals. The nice woman opened the cage for me and watched me with uncertainty. Of course I did not know, how these animals would react, if a human suddenly wants to stroke them. Here these animals do not have much contact to humans, which I had already been able to feel.

But it was overwhelming: The four small ones, who were about the same age of Petzi, came immediately into my arms, licked my hands and my face. As if we had always known each other. People, which were visiting this station, gathered around the cage and watched me curiously. "Oh please, hold another one! Are you not scared of getting parasites?" They asked me many questions, which I tried to answer. Nevertheless, I think, I could not make my love for these animals clear to visitors.

In the end the owners gave us the marmot, which had been alone in the cage. "Little Footfoot" got a small transportation cage and we started our journey home. Our little Noah's ark was now full. Five squirrels, Petzi, little Footfoot, our two dogs, Lissy and Honny, and ourselves.

Finally at home! All were happy, above all the raccoon-babies that stayed home. Little Footfoot was first of all introduced to his comrades. They did not like each other at first. The small guy however was so cheeky and investigated immediately the den in front our house, which our groundhogs had dug very deeply. It did not take long until my four accepted the newcomer into the family. So they remained together in their den and prepared themselves for the long winter.

I had to clean out camper van and air it, so we could take it back again. After several hours of cleaning everything was as new again. If the rental company knew, what we had in there! Nobody would believe it! But nobody noticed. We even got a deduction, because the car was so clean! Fantastic!

Petzi was completely different after this short vacation.

It got better from there on! She got noticeably better. Sometimes she even played with the cat toys, which I had fastened to the cage bars for her. It was like Christmas, that's how happy I was that Petzi began to trust me!

Weeks had passed and now it was snowing. The winter had arrived in the country. My raccoon kids snuggled themselves in their den under our terrace and only came every two days, in order to eat. They were well and I was happy to see them all well! Our squirrels got a large cage, which my husband built on wheels; there they had a lot of room for climbing and playing. Unfortunately they had been born too late into the world, so they had to winter with us. It was always very funny with them. In the winter I do not get very much alternation and therefore I am glad to have all my animals in the house.

Christmas came closer and we decorated our house, because our son Andi wanted to come to visit. Petzi observed everything and sometimes quietly squeaked to herself. From time to time I was allowed to stroke her small hands. It is like telepathy, we both feel the same. My feelings for Petzi let me cry regularly, whenever I looked into her sad eyes. Only one thought about these humans, who had abused my small Petzi in such a way, made me become furious. When I, as always, cleaned Petzis bed, I left the cage open by mistake. Petzi dragged herself to the door and cried. "Oh, Petzi, what's wrong with you?" I sat down on the chair, which was always in front of her cage, since I spent much time talking to her. "Baby, I unfortunately can't take you into my arms yet, but if you carry on being nice it will soon be possible." It would not have made any sense to release such a scared raccoon. I could not have cared for her any more, she would have hurt herself, hide somewhere and would have died. Therefore I had to wait even though I felt really sorry for her.

Now Petzi was already with us for a very long time, she ate very well and played with her toys. From time to time I was allowed to stroke her back with my hand and I noticed how much she loved it. Her back had a real hunch, but her pain was nearly gone.

On a snow-covered December day it should show that the love for Petzi had been worth it even through all the pain she suffered. When I opened the cage door, as I did each morning, in order to give new towels and fresh water to Petzi, she crawled up my arm right up to my shoulder. She carefully stroked my face and I felt that she was just as excited as I was. Quietly I spoke to her and began stroking her slowly and tenderly. And she let me! I can hardly describe it; today still tears run down my face because I feel so happy.

From this day on Petzi could move around freely, only slowly, but it seemed, as if she had no more pain. She gladly used the small basket with a fleecy cover. The dogs became her best friends. Sometimes she laid on Honny and enjoyed lying on so soft fur. For a toilet Petzi used a cat toilet with water and she never did her business anywhere else! A perfect house- raccoon!

One morning she came for a shower with me. It was such a joy to watch her splash about. After the shower I ran a warm bath for her. Her fur was completely dirty, because I had not been able to clean her for nearly two months. From now on she enjoyed her bath daily and I noticed that it also was really good for her back. Between Petzi and me an indescribable love developed. She did not let another person near her. She accepted my husband, but he was not allowed to touch her. If visitors came, Petzi was unstoppable. She hid herself immediately in a cupboard in the first floor of our house. Thus nobody knew that a raccoon lived in the house. Even the merest sound, if petzi did not know it, let her break out in panic. Only my voice could calm her down!

This time Christmas was spent with my friend Kathrin and our animals. Kathrin had the luck that Petzi liked her female voice. Petzi may have constantly nipped her, but Kathrin didn't mind, because she knew, what Petzi had been through. Petzi was obviously pleased about her Christmas presents. She tore up all packages immediately and ate her peanuts and shrimps greedily. She knew somehow that these were her gifts. It was a beautiful celebration. My most beautiful gift was: Petzis joy!

It now was January and our son came to visit. This was horrible For Petzi: a man and in addition such a large one. She only let herself be seen if Andi was not in the room. It was not very pleasant for either. It was incomprehensible sometimes to our son that an animal is so loved by us. But in this time both could also learn something. Petzi noticed that Andi was also nice to their. And Andi understood at the end of its vacation that animal care and love are not that simple.

Petzi could move very well now and we sometimes took a trip into the forest. One could see how happy she was to be able to play outside in the snow with the dogs. More and more nature was calling her back and I let her go outside by herself sometimes now. If she had played enough, she came to the terrace window and wanted to be let. She behaved like a small dog. She played with everything that she could find. The most fun she had with my squirrels. Whenever I cleaned the oversized cage, she was eagerly a part of it. At the beginning she still had some trouble climbing, but the small squirrels animated her to play. So enemies became play comrades, who I obviously never let out of sight.

In the middle of February Petzi decided to stay outside and sleep with our other raccoons. At first I worried a lot and mourned a little over my beloved fellow tenant, at the same time though I was very happy about Petzis new life. She was accepted by all raccoons; however she came to me daily and insured me that she loves her mummy more than anything.

The spring came and all my raccoon- children, who had slept in the forest, came to visit, because they are hungry now and know where they can get their food from. There were also a few, which I had reared years ago. In May most of them say their good-byes.

This parting is often forever, and it hurts!

Petzi visited me again and again, over the whole summer. I recognize her immediately by her extra large hump, which will probably stay like that.

Petzi will never be able to forget her hate towards humans and I think, it is good that way, because that's the only way she can live a happy life. Our friendship and our great love to each other will last forever. Petzi woke large hopes in me to continue and gave me the courage and the faith to be able to do anything with love and care.

When Petzi sits in front our window in the evenings, I know that love and Hope can move mountains! This small guy is a great example that it is worth to help each animal to get a new chance in life!