When you see an animal in need, you should always try to help, as long as it’s safe to do so. Two paddleboarders pulled a struggling raccoon out of Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, during some seriously stormy weather. The pair, Tucker and Owen, were out fishing and filming when they spotted what they first took for a dog being pushed out of a tunnel under the South Congress bridge, according to KXAN. A closer look through their cameras showed it was actually a raccoon in trouble.
Tucker said the raccoon was being pulled under by the current as they raced over. He used his paddle to scoop the animal up out of the water. He then started paddling for shore with the raccoon aboard.
In the video, the raccoon can be seen tucked under Tucker’s legs on the board. It calmed down once it had gotten out of the water. Tucker said the animal seemed to feel safe there. The two got it to land, and the raccoon was able to get to safety.
The rescue happened as heavy rain moved through Central Texas, part of the same weather pushing water up across the region. Lady Bird Lake is a dammed stretch of the Colorado River in downtown Austin, and storm runoff can turn its usually calm surface into a moving current. That current is what put the raccoon in danger and what the paddleboarders were working against to reach it.
Why the Timing Made This Rescue Risky
Lady Bird Lake is normally flat, motor-free water favored by paddlers, which is part of why the storm conditions stood out. Runoff from heavy rain feeds into the lake and speeds up the flow, especially near culverts and bridge tunnels like the one the raccoon came out of. A small animal caught in that kind of current can be pulled under quickly, which is what the video appears to show.
The weather is also why the moment carried extra weight in Austin this week. The rain over Central Texas came as the broader Texas Hill Country was again dealing with dangerous flooding, and Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed one death in the region from the high water. The raccoon rescue was a small, lighter moment set against a serious and still-developing flood situation nearby.
Should You Try to Rescue a Raccoon Yourself?
The rescue ended well, though wildlife experts would urge caution before anyone copies it. Raccoons can bite and scratch when frightened, and they are a known rabies vector, so handling one directly carries real risk even when the animal seems calm. The paddlers used a paddle to lift the raccoon rather than their hands, which kept some distance between them and the animal.
For most people who find wildlife in trouble, the safer path is to call local animal control or a wildlife rescue rather than intervene. If someone does end up in direct contact with a raccoon, especially a bite or scratch, health officials advise washing the wound and contacting a doctor about rabies risk. In this case, the raccoon reached shore and moved off on its own, which is the outcome that avoids both a trapped animal and an injured rescuer.