WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

[PitbullMidwest]

Frank what you describe is a rabid coon. I had one walk up to my GSD last summer, just sat down and sort of hissed at her. We dispatched it with a .410 and buried the carcass. The best description I can give of its behavior is that the coon looked like it was drunk.

 

[DannyD]

Raccoons do not carry rabies........confirmed by a wildlife rehabber I know in town. Now you do have a coon that has destimper and he should be put down. He is a danger to pets, and people. A friend of mine from work had this same exact situation last year. The coon would actually follow us around the yard, getting close enough to touch if we wanted too. You are protecting your pets and family and doing the animal his just and humane death.

 

[frank_f15]

Thanks for all the feedback , i don't know if the Racoon is rabid or just plain not right , but he does not set well with me so i have the .22 set to go with HP and if i see him again in the right conditions i will put him down.

 

[PhilNH5]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Raccoons do not carry rabies........confirmed by a wildlife rehabber I know in town )</font>

When I lived in MD 7 years ago we were on the verge of a rabies epidemic. Raccoons were the most common vector. The county issued warnings about them. Articles in the paper advised you on how to deal with thim.

A Google search will yieald many hits about raccoons and rabies such as
TN state website on raccoon rabies
Raccoons DO carry rabies and do spread it.

Maybe Skypup can weigh in - I think he is a vet and a viralogist.

Phil

 

[roho]

Bravo frank! I'm not so concerned about rabies and seeing coons in the day time but something is definately wrong with the coon & putting it down is best solution! I'd call county agent or game warden(I can't beleive I said that) & see if they would like to spring to test the animal for rabies! If not I'd do as others said & burn & bury it! Let us know outcome if that should happen!

 

[woodlot]

Ed, you are right, rabies is fatal if not treated with vaccine. Intrestingly though, last fall here in Wisconsin a girl did survive the disease with out the vaccine. The first case ever worldwide where someone survived. It was big news. She was one sick girl. Here's a link to a story on it:

Rabies survival

 

[EddieWalker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Ed, you are right, rabies is fatal if not treated with vaccine. Intrestingly though, last fall here in Wisconsin a girl did survive the disease with out the vaccine. The first case ever worldwide where someone survived. It was big news. She was one sick girl. Here's a link to a story on it:

Rabies survival )</font>

Thanks for the story. Great to see that they might have come up with a cure, or at least an experimental treatment for it. From all accounts, it's a terrible death to endure.


We get a few confirmed cases here every year. Mostly skunks and bats. In fact a realtor I know inderectly, her daughter was bit by a rabid bat in a very exclusive neighborhood.

As for shooting the racoon with a .22, be sure of your target, get as close as you can and hit him with as many shots as you can. Bullets are cheap, a wounded animal isn't!

If you have something bigger, I'd use it. I've shot a few racoons with .22's and I wouldn't reckomend the caliber. A shotgun is a much better choice, or a deer rifle. Your not saving the meat or hide, just putting it down as fast as you can. Remember, in killing, there is no such thing as too much.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[Treed_in_TX]

Having raised chickens and other poultry the last couple of years, I would off the raccoon whether it's rabid or not. They are crafty, strong little buggers and can easily kill and eat your chickens. I've got a special place to bury raccoons and Possums. The dirt is easy to dig deep.

 

[dmccarty]

DannyD,

I think the wildlife rehabber is full of BS. That is very dangerous misinformation for them to spreading.

Here is a qoute from the CDC website on rabies.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The most common wild reservoirs of rabies are raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, and coyotes. )</font>

The link to the CDC page on rabies is CDC Rabies Q and A

Later,
Dan

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Raccoons do not carry rabies........
<font color="red"> confirmed by a wildlife rehabber </font> I know in town. Now you do have a coon that has destimper and he should be put down. He is a danger to pets, and people. A friend of mine from work had this same exact situation last year. The coon would actually follow us around the yard, getting close enough to touch if we wanted too. You are protecting your pets and family and doing the animal his just and humane death. )</font>
==============
<font color="red"> Rehabber don't know what he's talking about. </font>My County Health Dept. recently had signs on all the big bill boards around the area warning about rabies carrying raccoons.
His statement is another example of how no tail is to tall for the radical extremist if they feel it will further their outlandish agenda.