Ep 10. The Raccoon

The Raccoon, season 1 episode 10 of Little House on the Prairie, follows the Ingalls family as they take on a new member: a baby raccoon. The episode begins with Laura and Mary coming across a mother raccoon who has been killed by a hunter. The girls take the baby raccoon back to their home, where they beg their father Charles to let them keep it as a pet.

At first, Charles is hesitant to keep the raccoon, knowing that it could be dangerous and could potentially harm their family or their farm animals. However, after seeing how attached the girls have become to the little creature, he eventually agrees to let them keep it.

The family quickly discovers that caring for a raccoon isn't easy. The raccoon, which the girls name Jasper, is curious and mischievous, getting into trouble around the house and causing havoc among the farm animals. Charles warns his family that Jasper needs to be kept away from the animals in order to protect them, but Jasper's curiosity gets the best of him and he continues to roam free.

Throughout the episode, the family grows closer to Jasper and the girls even teach him tricks and how to use a small chamber pot like a human. However, their happiness is short-lived when Jasper begins to show signs of illness. The family takes him to the veterinarian in town, who informs them that Jasper is suffering from rabies, a deadly disease that can harm both humans and animals.

Panicked, the family must make a difficult decision to protect their own safety as well as the safety of the other animals on their farm. They must put Jasper down, while they are heartbroken at the loss of their newest family member and mourn the loss together.

The Raccoon is a touching episode that shows the love and compassion that the Ingalls family has for all creatures, no matter how big or small. The episode offers a lesson in responsibility and the consequences of not taking proper care of animals. It also highlights the bond between humans and animals and the importance of treating them with kindness and respect. As such, it is a family-friendly and educational episode that still resonates with audiences today.