Animal-rescuer says caring for exotic pets improves his mental health

Minty Webb, from Laffak, has grown up around exotic pets as his grandad rescued animals from a closed-down zoo and his dad owned tarantula spiders.

While a little out of the ordinary, it is a tradition he has carried on throughout his life and also got his young son interested in.

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Minty owns six pet raccoons, as well as skunks, ferrets, and lizards (Image: Minty Webb)

"It's hard work and you have to be vetted all the time", Minty said, "but it really helps with my mental health by looking after them".

A couple of years ago, Minty fell down a sinkhole which resulted in lasting problems.

With a severely injured knee, the dad-of-one has been unable to get out as much as he would like, but caring for his animals has become a mental sanctuary where he can take his mind away from his problems.

Minty said looking after exotic pets helps his mental health (Image: Minty Webb)

In cages on his property, Minty has six raccoons, as well as skunks, ferrets, lizards, frogs, and dogs to look after.

Although it is now illegal to sell raccoons as they are classed as an invasive species, which means they are unnatural to the environment and can harm native wildlife, Minty is able to keep his pets as he owned them before the law changed in 2016.

Minty, 41, added: "I'm probably the person with the most pet raccoons in the UK since they became an invasive species.

"I've rescued and rehomed animals all of my life, so whenever people couldn't look after them anymore, I would always come to pick them up and care for them."

Minty often gets help from the community to care for his raccoons (Image: Minty Webb)

While it is illegal to sell raccoons in the UK, they are more commonly kept as pets in some states in the US.

This has led Minty forming an online community with other exotic pet owners from across the Atlantic, who he often gets help and advice from.

He is also a member of Beast Watch UK which rescues abanonded extotic animals, and gets help from the St Helens community when he needs extra essentials such as blankets during the winter months.

Minty has rescued raccoons when people have no longer been able to care for them (Image: Minty Webb)

Minty added: "Raccoons are very misunderstood. They're actually really brainy and loving.

"But they are also quite mischievous and destructive, and can totally change when they meet new people.

"So they might not be the best pet! But I love caring for them and it really helps me to look after them."