Students design walker for disabled raccoon
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HARDIN COUNTY, Kentucky (WLKY) — A disabled raccoon, affectionately known as “Boone the Raccoon,” is able to walk for the first time thanks to a group of engineering students at Central Hardin High School.
The orphaned raccoon first arrived at Nolin River Wildlife Sanctuary in Glendale at just two weeks old. He was unable to walk, so the sanctuary, which specializes in rehabbing and releasing animals into the wild, was the perfect place for Boone to land.
Sanctuary Executive Director Mary Key says he was soon diagnosed with a neurological condition called cerebellar hypoplasia. “He would wobble and fall over,” she explains. Unsure if Boone would survive, staff and volunteers started carrying him around in a sling. Key says that led to an idea—she looked into buying him a wheelchair, but they retailed at upwards of $500. She then decided to reach out to a group of engineering students at Central Hardin and asked them to help build Boone a wheelchair.
After several prototypes, they created one with a sling, tubing, and wheels, allowing Boone to move freely on his own.
Key says his survival story represents everything they’re working to accomplish at the sanctuary. “To me, it’s not about saving every animal it’s about having people fall in love with these animals and understanding their importance,” she says, “and that’s the thing with Boone—he’s made the biggest impact.”
Key says he is now an ambassador who will offer educational opportunities for students in the future and the community.
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