Burton Raccoon Rescuers Featured On CBS Sunday Morning

The raccoon rescuers in Burton, Michigan continue to get recognition.

Most recently, Bill Messenger, John Ptaszenski, and Tyler Whalen were featured on CBS This Morning.

Hosted by Jane Pauley, the national television show covers a wide range of topics including politics, performing arts, news, weather, entertainment features, and heartwarming stories.

This past Sunday, July 6, 2024, correspondent Steve Hartman from CBS Sunday Morning shared the heroic story of three Burton men who saved a choking raccoon after a backyard barbecue.

Since going viral, a lot of media has reached out to these local heroes, myself included.

I reached out to Bill Messenger in June 2024 with questions, and he was kind enough to answer them,

When did you notice the raccoon was choking?

The raccoon wandered around for a good 10 minutes looking for food. We then noticed the raccoon on its hind legs with a weird look on its face.

We didn't know what was happening at first. Then, I realized the raccoon was choking. "That is when I started slapping its back, and the video started rolling.

Were you afraid of being attacked by the raccoon after you saved it?

I wasn’t afraid after I saved it because it had already been hanging out with us for a while.

As shown in the video above, animal behavior expert Professor Suzanne MacDonald advises against slapping raccoons or any other animals. However, she notes that a choking animal is unable to bite.

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I doubt anything like this will ever happen to me, but it's good to know.

Well done, Bill, John, and Tyler. Please let me know if the raccoon returns for another visit.