When a Canadian couple encountered a hairless creature in their yard, they assumed it was a Sphynx cat. Concerned for her well-being, they took her to a local vet clinic. The vet was astonished. He explained that she wasn’t a cat but, in fact, a hairless raccoon. Since the finding is rare and she needed special treatment, he reached out to Hope For Wildlife to see if they would take her in. They thankfully agreed. According to the CP24, the rare bald raccoon is currently being cared for at a shelter in Nova Scotia, where staff are hopeful she’ll eventually grow back her fur, including the distinctive black mask across her eyes.
Hope Swinimer, the director of Hope for Wildlife, shared that the raccoon, who has been named Rufus, got her name from a hairless mole-rat character in the children’s show Kim Possible. Despite discovering that Rufus is actually female, the name has stuck, and her personality is as lively as her cartoon namesake.
Last week, a couple in West Arichat found the three-kilogram raccoon shivering in their backyard. They brought her to a veterinary clinic in Cape Breton, where she received fluids before being transferred to the wildlife shelter in Seaforth, Nova Scotia.
Swinimer explained that skin tests revealed Rufus’s baldness—known as alopecia—might be due to genetics rather than parasites or other causes. The shelter staff are optimistic that with proper nutrition and care, Rufus may eventually regrow her fur and could possibly be released back into the wild. However, if she’s unable to recover fully, the shelter plans to create a secure outdoor space for her, complete with a cozy shelter.
Since arriving at the shelter, Rufus has gone from being weak and listless to showing her playful side by removing plastic duct covers and exploring the building’s ductwork. “We were worried for a few hours, but then she got hungry and came out. She’s becoming quite spirited, and we’ve seen significant improvement since her arrival,” Swinimer said.
With over 30 years of experience caring for wildlife, Swinimer mentioned that while she has encountered raccoons with alopecia before, Rufus’s case is the most severe. In previous instances, the raccoons at least retained their facial markings, but Rufus is even bald around her eyes.
“It’s just tufts of fur around her snout, ankles, and feet. This is an extreme case,” Swinimer noted. She emphasized the vital role that fur plays in protecting animals from the cold. Without it, they are vulnerable to frostbite and other dangers.
If Rufus becomes a long-term resident, her new habitat will feature trees, mulch, and a warm space for her to retreat to. “It will also have fun things she wouldn’t find in the wild, like hammocks and nesting boxes,” Swinimer added.
Swinimer believes that cases like Rufus’s offer valuable learning opportunities. If Rufus’s fur does grow back, it could indicate an environmental factor that needs further investigation.
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Regarding the shelter’s mission, Swinimer explained that they help all injured or sick animals, regardless of species. Most of the animals they care for have been harmed by human activities, and the staff are committed to doing whatever they can to help. “We do so much damage to our natural world that it’s important to give back and do what we can, no matter the reason,” Swinimer said.