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 EVE AND TAZ- By Jane Shepata
April 1997, a cold, crisp I wish I would have stayed home kind of day. The men were busily starting tractors and back hoes for the annoying task of knocking down a 50 ton hay stack that had wintered over badly being left uncovered and exposed to the harsh winter and elk and deer. The animals had been eating the hay throughout the winter and the stack was dangerously close to tipping over anyway. The men decided to knock the stack down and spread it out and till it under later. Eve was supervising, wrapped in a blanket next to the truck watching the hay tumble over like a large neglected building. The dogs were running hither and yon getting under foot. One dog would delight in digging and rolling in the hay knocked to the ground. One dog was occupied with something for a long while and as it trotted over to where Eve was sitting she dropped a screaming, dirty, slobbered on -little animal no bigger than a chipmunk right smack in Eve's lap- ahhhhhh-Eve thought "RAT", shrieked a second and hollered for the men. And on inspection of the little creature it showed the markings of a teeny ringtail and mask. Racoon! The men ceased work and prompted the dog to show them where she found the baby. Tragically a nest was found with a mother coon and two other babies, smothered or crushed by tons of hay. It was very sad and nothing could be done. So the living baby was put inside Eve's shirt and by afternoon transported Home.. Not knowing what to do, Eve called the City who gave her a number which she called and the people at the other end said 'Racoons are considered pests and the baby being only a couple days old, it may be best to euthanize him, bring him in'. Well, needless to say-Eve hung up the phone and Taz became a member of the FAMILY..  Taz was named Taz because on the trip home that fateful day Eve had him under her shirt for warmth and he screamed all the way home and Eve said " He sounds like a little Tazmanian Devil " Taz stuck!!! Taz required 24 hour care for awhile as he wouldn't suck a bottle so an eyedropper was used to drip formula into his little body. It was the hardest job Eve ever undertook but she felt it her responsibility to help this baby survive. Eve whole-heartedly does not recommend raccoons as pets. Her situation was an event that she would not DO OVER.. At the time she had no resources and didn't know about Wildlife re-habbers or organizations to help in situations like this and when she called the wrong place for help she didn't think to call anyone else after that negative response- So Taz prospered and the one on one 24 hour care Eve has given him has made Taz a wonderful companion but not without problems - Taz is moody and territorial and possessive. He can be destructive if not watched. His medical care and special diet changes are very expensive. Raccoons are not meant to be pets.. and if you can't devote your every minute including no strangers in the house, no vacations, no knick knacks and being bitten and scratched then don't even think about it. Taz is lucky because Eve is a stay at home MOM- who has made Taz her duty and responsibility to raise him cageless and happy and content as long as he or she lives. To be Coon-napped to Taz's home on the web please Click Here
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