Every Night, This Man Feeds Hot Dogs To This Pack Of Raccoons As Per His Late Wife’s Wish
“Raccoon Whisperer”—that’s how this man named James Blackwood likes to call himself. James lives on the east coast of Canada in the Province of Nova Scotia, and for 25 years, he’s been dedicating a part of his life to taking care of the raccoons who live in his local woods.
James has a YouTube channel where he shares bits and bobs of his daily life taking care of the little fluffers. Recently, one of his videos, capturing him feeding a pack of adorable raccoons hot dogs, went viral.
James’ video currently has more than 4 million views
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
“It was snowing with freezing temperatures and the raccoons were super hungry and knew they had to stock up for the long winter,” reads the description of the video. Video captures James going outside on his back porch and hand-feeding a crowd of wild raccoons from his hot dog bucket.
Video captures James hand-feeding the adorable raccoons from a bucket of hot dogs
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
Once the bucket gets empty, James goes inside and a few moments later comes back with another bucket full of hot dogs. After that, the man brings raccoons a bucket full of chocolate-dipped cookies. Finally, James brings them a bucket of dog food.
Once the bucket is empty, James goes inside and comes back with another bucket full of hot dogs
James started taking care of raccoons 25 years ago. “This was my wife’s project, and she died in 2003 of cancer and begged me on her death bed to take care of her raccoons and cats and her mother,” reads the description of one of James’ videos.
After that, James brings the raccoons some cookies and dog food
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
“I honored her wishes and took care of the cats and her mother for the next ten years. I have two rescue cats that live here Connor and Charlotte but they stay indoors. Special Note: thank you for the kind offers of money and Gifts but I cannot accept I would rather you donate to your local SPCA or Animal Welfare locations in your area,” James continues.
The man has been taking care of the local raccoons for the past 25 years to honor his wife
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
Image credits: James Blackwood – Raccoon Whisperer
If you’d like to see some more wholesome content—which we all could use right now—you should definitely visit James’ YouTube channel to check more of his videos.
For instance, here’s a video capturing trash pandas trying whipped cream
In this one, the chubby fluffers are snacking on grapes
And here’s one capturing the raccoons eating peanut butter sandwiches
maybe he means well but that is not a healthy dieet
I completely agree, these raccoons are so fat they probably can't even run away if they got attacked. Honestly it makes me really mad to see this, raccoons are not supposed to eat hot dogs and cookies (dog food is ok because that's what some places feed them.) They are supposed to eat fruits, veggies and other smaller animals.
The hotdogs are just mashed chicken....no nitrates or salt The animals need to be fat because up there they go into hibernation and would starve otherwise. He has been advised along the way by experts. He also has a tremendous success rate with winter survival. The cookies are an occasional treat. They don't get enough to be harmful. He feeds them lots of dried dog food and grapes. The article was wrong.. No chocolate.
Like the typical American diet is healthy. At least these animals are not starving as we humans (who will become extinct in the next couple of centuries due to overpopulation) are dying of obesity-related illness and, conversely, starvation in over-populated countries. Give me a break!
My biggest concern with these issues is when that lovely old man dies, these raccoons are going to find their easy food source dried up. I think it said they had been doing this for 25years, there would be some raccoons that have grown up relying on him for a fail safe diet. We all love seeing wildlife living around us peacefully and it is always tempting to feed animals to bring them a little closer and try to encourage some trust with you as a homeowner....BUT...we must reinforce that the food we leave isn't every day, its not regular or to be relied on. It isn't about us, its about protecting wild animals from picking up habits that may in turn endanger them....
Well obviously you’re not a regular to Jim’s channel. If you watched, which I recommend, you would see that raccoons are coming and going all the time. They move to new territories all the time. They don’t rely on Jim as much as you think. If so, they would never leave knowing that he’s their only food source. Some of the raccoons barely stay one season. It’s an animal’s natural instinct to find food in the wild which doesn’t go away. So please don’t judge, just watch and enjoy!!!
He checks poops periodically. This is not their only source for food Furthermore many disappear for days on end so they are getting food elsewhere.
He died May 2021 http://eastgate-garland.tributes.com/obituary/show/James-Carl-Jim-Blackwood-108512347
They never lose their wild instincts. Mine get fed, and some for years since they were babies, but they also dig for grubs and worms around the yard.
The cat wants some of the food also :D
maybe he means well but that is not a healthy dieet
I completely agree, these raccoons are so fat they probably can't even run away if they got attacked. Honestly it makes me really mad to see this, raccoons are not supposed to eat hot dogs and cookies (dog food is ok because that's what some places feed them.) They are supposed to eat fruits, veggies and other smaller animals.
The hotdogs are just mashed chicken....no nitrates or salt The animals need to be fat because up there they go into hibernation and would starve otherwise. He has been advised along the way by experts. He also has a tremendous success rate with winter survival. The cookies are an occasional treat. They don't get enough to be harmful. He feeds them lots of dried dog food and grapes. The article was wrong.. No chocolate.
Like the typical American diet is healthy. At least these animals are not starving as we humans (who will become extinct in the next couple of centuries due to overpopulation) are dying of obesity-related illness and, conversely, starvation in over-populated countries. Give me a break!
My biggest concern with these issues is when that lovely old man dies, these raccoons are going to find their easy food source dried up. I think it said they had been doing this for 25years, there would be some raccoons that have grown up relying on him for a fail safe diet. We all love seeing wildlife living around us peacefully and it is always tempting to feed animals to bring them a little closer and try to encourage some trust with you as a homeowner....BUT...we must reinforce that the food we leave isn't every day, its not regular or to be relied on. It isn't about us, its about protecting wild animals from picking up habits that may in turn endanger them....
Well obviously you’re not a regular to Jim’s channel. If you watched, which I recommend, you would see that raccoons are coming and going all the time. They move to new territories all the time. They don’t rely on Jim as much as you think. If so, they would never leave knowing that he’s their only food source. Some of the raccoons barely stay one season. It’s an animal’s natural instinct to find food in the wild which doesn’t go away. So please don’t judge, just watch and enjoy!!!
He checks poops periodically. This is not their only source for food Furthermore many disappear for days on end so they are getting food elsewhere.
He died May 2021 http://eastgate-garland.tributes.com/obituary/show/James-Carl-Jim-Blackwood-108512347
They never lose their wild instincts. Mine get fed, and some for years since they were babies, but they also dig for grubs and worms around the yard.
The cat wants some of the food also :D