Raccoons set up residence in Red Bank

Raccoons live on the Bratcher family property in Red Bank. The raccoons are fed each morning out of a frying pan. Photo by Katie Ward

After the April 27 tornado swept down Ashland Terrace, Red Bank’s Ted and Judy Bratcher found three baby raccoons peaking out of a hollowed out tree in their front yard. The storm leveled 21 trees in the yard, but left plenty standing for the raccoons to take shelter in.

“It looked like a war zone, but we gained baby raccoons,” said Judy Bratcher. “When we saw the baby raccoons, we wanted to take care of them.”

She said the mother raccoon was hit by a car on Thrushwood Drive, leaving the three to fend for themselves.

After the Bratchers nursed the raccoons with milk, they migrated from the front to the back yard. Every morning Ted Bratcher mixes Ol’Roy canned dog food and dry cat food in a frying pan and takes it to them.

“I call them the three stooges,” he said, stepping back to allow them room to eat.