07/22/2026
We have received many calls and emails regarding the Seattle raccoon, Jimothy. As a wildlife rehabilitation facility, we care for orphaned and injured wildlife, admitting more than 3,300 patients each year. Because of the international attention that Jimothy has received, we have had requests from people as far away as Australia interested in attaching our name to their artwork or merchandise.
These individuals, or entities, want to share a portion of their proceeds with us, but honestly this feels exploitive. We understand that some artists have donated 100% of their profits to worthy causes, that is not what we are addressing here.
Our work is made possible through the generosity of our community, and we are deeply grateful for every person who supports wildlife. We feel that using Jimothy as a marketing tool is not ethical. We feature our patients in our own publications and share their stories to promote our work, but selling his likeness for profit turns wildlife into a commercial product and sends the wrong conservation message.
We are genuinely delighted to see so many people excited about the wildlife that shares our neighborhoods. It is refreshing to witness so much affection for raccoons, especially because it is often the opposite of what we experience with some raccoon callers.
Not all Washington state rehabilitators take in raccoons. They require specific care, caging, isolation for disease concerns, and other factors that are necessary for the state permits to treat them. We love raccoons! We have cared for raccoons for over 45 years and a group of orphaned raccoons were some of the first animals ever admitted to Sarvey Wildlife.
Over the past winter, we remodeled and rebuilt all our raccoon habitats. We doubled our capacity to care for raccoons, and we take in raccoons from all over Washington state. If you are interested in helping our raccoon population, please donate directly to a wildlife rehabilitation facility near you that rehabilitates raccoons.
We hope you can understand why we are not partnering with anyone to sell Jimothy merchandise. We also know that there are many scammers on the internet, and we hope that you will be cautious about any online purchases/donations.
Jimothy serves as an important reminder that the kindest way to appreciate wildlife is from a respectful distance. Please do not approach, interact with, or feed wild animals. Feeding wildlife can change natural behaviors, increase conflict with people, spread disease, and ultimately put both the animal and the public at risk.
It is our hope that all wildlife can live a truly wild life. Wildlife belongs in the wild and it is our goal to release animals in our care back to their habitats for us all to enjoy at a distance.
Loving wildlife means allowing it to remain wild.
~ Sarvey Wildlife
