They are generally regarded as pests, so this raccoon should consider itself very lucky that someone came to the rescue… after getting its head stuck in a storm drain.
The mischievous critter was spotted by Department of Public Works (DPW) director Bill Zimmer outside his home in downtown Detroit.
The raccoon, clearly in some state of distress, was unable to free its head from the middle of the sewer grate last Thursday.
The animal was spotted on Ecorse Creek, Dearborn Heights, a suburban neighbourhood of Detroit.
Zimmer, whose team is responsible for street maintenance, called on co-workers Don Sepanski, Sean Moylan and Carl Kennedy for help.
Armed with a quantity of vegetable oil and dish soap, they quickly went to work and the manhole cover was carefully removed.
Dearborn Heights Mayor Dan Paletko said after he saw the picture of the raccoon, he could see why the men wanted to save it.
He said: 'We have invested a lot in cleaning up the environment in this area and we are seeing more deer, raccoons and possums coming into Dearborn Heights.
'Raccoons actually are regarded as something of a pest and, in fact, we all have to sleep with covers over our chimneys here to stop them getting in the attic.
'I can see why we had to help this little guy though and the team were very careful to make sure he was washed off before he was released into the wild.'
The baby raccoon was later released in Edward Hines Park in the city where Mayor Paletko said there was plenty of space for him to find a home.
