Racoon attacks and rabies
I was originally going to write about this in one of my “weird, wild, and wacky” compilations, but I realized that it’s a worthy lead-in to a health-related topic worth talking about
The raccoons are on the attack in Washington State!
According to articles from the Associated Press, The Olympian, and other sources, wild raccoons are terrorizing the city of Olympia, Washington. Now, it’s not unusual (in fact, it’s typical) for these intelligent omnivores to frequent suburban metro areas. The large abundance of scrap food in garbage – plus that doled out by residents who think them “cute” – attracts the critters. Storm drainage systems, low porches and decks, and the shady undersides of elevated sheds give raccoons ideal places to live and raise their young. They’ve lived peacefully in suburban Washington neighborhoods for years.
But apparently, the latest generation of raccoons in Olympia has become a strain of vicious killers. One west-side neighborhood has reported that an especially fearless tribe of these masked banditos has killed at least 10 cats (and counting), has hauled off a small dog, and has bitten at least one person who was attempting to drive them away from a family pet. One resident likened them to street gangs in a news report, calling them “urban” raccoons
These street-smart varmints aren’t afraid of people, firecrackers, or all but the largest dogs. They’re smart, too. Although they can be seen predictably in the same areas every night, a professional trapper that one neighborhood association hired has been able to capture only one in six weeks. According to the trapper, the lead boar – an enormous male with an uncommon bloodlust – has likely been trapped before, and is teaching the others in his clan how to avoid traps.
Funny as it may sound, this roving clan of varmints is paralyzing the neighborhood with fear. A recent community meeting on the matter had around 40 attendees, and spurred the development of a “raccoon watch” squad.
I probably don’t have to tell you that raccoons are perhaps the #1 carrier of rabies in the U.S. – or that you should take precautions yourself, even if you live in the inner city.
You don’t hear about rabies so much anymore, but when I was coming up in semi-rural Georgia, “hydrophobia” was a fairly sizable health concern. Although avoidable if treated quickly after an animal bite with aggressive courses of vaccine, once symptoms develop, there is no cure for rabies. There is only one documented case of a person surviving the disease.
And like I said, raccoons are the primary U.S. carrier of the deadly disease. Common-sense measures to minimize human/raccoon interactions (and the likelihood of bites) include:
- Sealing trash cans tightly (raccoons are notoriously creative at getting into refuse)
- Keeping back yards well-lighted at night (motion-sensitive lights work great)
- NEVER dumping leftover food items or cooking grease down a storm drain
- Walling off with chicken wire or wood lattice areas underneath low porches, decks, or sheds
In the event of a bite or exposure to the saliva of ANY animal, immediately wash out the wound or exposed area with soap and thoroughly flush it out with water. And if you have any hydrogen peroxide available (and everyone should for many reasons), make it your first line of defense in cleaning. You can purchase a three percent solution from the drug store, douse it on, and scrub hard.
If rabies is suspected (if the bite comes from an animal foaming at the mouth, or any raccoon, bat, or possum), you may be able to spare yourself a course of painful and expensive shots by capturing the animal for testing – if it’s possible without risking further bites. That’s a judgment call on your part
But the best call of all is to avoid direct contact with wild animals altogether.
It’s amazing how many suburban Americans don’t seem to know this. More rabies, dumb human/wildlife interactions, and wild animal related news in the next Daily Dose.
