“[It’s] about the strangest but most amazing thing we’ve ever seen.”
Published on Sep 25, 2025 at 3:12 PM
For years, wildlife enthusiasts Dan Ballard and Jane Hunter have enjoyed capturing footage of the animals in their sprawling Austin, Texas, backyard and sharing the videos to their YouTube channel, Texas Backyard Wildlife.
Back in 2020, Ballard and Hunter were poring over footage when they saw something they never expected.
“[It’s] about the strangest but most amazing thing we’ve ever seen here on camera,” Ballard said in a video about the event.
In the footage, a mother raccoon stumbles through the brush with her kit. She seems to be searching for a safe spot to hide him for the day so that she can forage for food and water. Eventually, the mama finds a hollow tree stump. She decides this is a suitable place for her baby, so she leaves him by the log and goes to run her errands.
But it turns out, the well-meaning mama is mistaken. This stump isn’t a safe space at all. In fact, it’s very dangerous.
“This is a fox den,” Ballard says in the video. “Mama raccoon seems to be thinking that it’s actually a raccoon day care.”
At first, the father fox hisses at the baby raccoon. But then, as if understanding the little kit means no harm, he decides to leave him alone.
The little raccoon climbs down off the tree stump and into the den beneath, where the baby foxes are resting. He hides in the corner of the den, perhaps feeling nervous around these new friends. The baby foxes are initially wary of the visitor, but they soon warm up to him.
“The little fox pups come in and check on him,” Ballard says. “After a while, it seems like they decided that, ‘Wow, I guess we have a pet.’”
This behavior is very surprising. According to Wildlife Rescue League, foxes are natural predators of raccoons, and they’re especially likely to attack young raccoons, like the one who stumbled into the den.
Later that night, while the fox family sleeps, the raccoon kit sneaks out of the tree stump and reunites with his mom. Somehow, despite all odds, he’s survived this dangerous encounter completely unscathed.
“They wander off into the sunrise,” Ballard says. “And live happily ever after.”
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Watch The Moment Shelter Dog Realizes He’s Finally Going Home After 1,739 Days
He finally has a family ❤️
Meet Mr. Jones, a sweet, playful, young-at-heart 13-year-old dog. Until very recently, Mr. Jones called the Humane Society of Greater Miami home.
“He enjoys the outside a whole lot,” a Humane Society of Greater Miami volunteer said in a TikTok. “[He’s] always laying in the sun [and] rubbing himself in the grass, but he’s definitely a cuddle bug that you’ll love to have in your home.”
@baconisalovelanguageMr. Jones and you. Adopt Mr Jones at Humane Miami. Good boy#mrjones#mrjonesmiami#orlandomagic#doggy#miami#miamipets#jones#miamiheat#countingcrows@orlandomagic @miamiheat @lovenlight0013 @humanemiami @miaminews @miaminewtimes @countingcrowsmusic♬ Mr. Jones – Counting Crows
With a description like that, one would think that Mr. Jones would have been adopted quickly. But that’s not the case.
He arrived at the shelter when he was 9 years old. Every day, Mr. Jones waited patiently for someone to notice him. Day in and day out, he stared out his little glass window, watching everyone get adopted but him.
One day, someone finally decided to take a chance on him. His new family took him home … then promptly returned him to the shelter.
@lovenlight0013Jones touched the hearts of over 3 million people and was adooted out, unfortunately he was returned and is now looking for his permanent family. Please share ❤️❤️ he needs to be the only dog in the home and you can apply at the humane society of north miami#seniordog#adopt#returned#findjonesahome♬ Wings (Acoustic) – Birdy
Mr. Jones was heartbroken. Then, three years into his stay at the shelter, it happened again: He was adopted only to be returned days later.
Mr. Jones grew older and sadder as the years passed. The shelter tried their best to get him adopted, and he even went viral on social media several times, but still, no luck.
To keep his spirits up while he waited for his forever family, TikTokers Eric and Joey took Mr. Jones for a fun weekend out on the town. He picked out some new toys, got pampered at the groomers and got to go to his favorite place: the beach.
“He loves … taking all the warmth from the sun,” Eric and Joey said in a TikTok.
At the beach, Mr. Jones transformed into a puppy again. As he sprinted through the surf, no one would have ever been able to guess he was 13 years old.
Mr. Jones’ new friends were saddened to have to return him to the shelter. They didn’t want to think about him being pent up in his kennel again.
But then, something incredible happened. Just days later, someone came to adopt Mr. Jones. After 1,739 days in the shelter, he was finally going to go home.
And this time, it seems like it’s going to stick.
With his new mom, Mr. Jones gets to do all the things he loves to do, like snuggling …
https://www.instagram.com/p/DF861ZIyrQM/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fraccoon-baby-stumbles-into-a-fox-den-then-something-unexpected-happens#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A15963.299999952316%2C%22ls%22%3A15387.299999952316%2C%22le%22%3A15639.599999904633%7D
Going on walks …
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGCMWNLNTm1/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fraccoon-baby-stumbles-into-a-fox-den-then-something-unexpected-happens#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A15973.199999928474%2C%22ls%22%3A15387.299999952316%2C%22le%22%3A15639.599999904633%7D
And going to the beach.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGb_yXqtoAD/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fraccoon-baby-stumbles-into-a-fox-den-then-something-unexpected-happens#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A15981.599999904633%2C%22ls%22%3A15387.299999952316%2C%22le%22%3A15639.599999904633%7D
But now, when the fun’s over, he doesn’t have to return to the shelter. He just gets to go to sleep and do it all over again the next day.
To support other animals like Jones, you can donate to the Humane Society of Greater Miami here.
Related
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