Georgia man bitten by rabid raccoon after hour-long “rescue” ride

A Cherokee County, Georgia man is present process rabies therapy after making an attempt to rescue an injured raccoon by driving it to a nature heart inside his coat. The animal later examined optimistic for rabies.

Based on employees on the Chattahoochee Nature Center, the person discovered the raccoon vocalizing within the highway and determined to get it assist. With nothing else out there, he wrapped the wild animal in his coat and held it in opposition to his chest whereas driving greater than an hour to the middle.

Throughout the journey, the raccoon managed to work its head free and bit the person on his face and arms. As an alternative of calling for assist, officers say he drove dwelling, wrapped the raccoon in a blanket secured with duct tape, after which continued on to the character heart.

He arrived within the parking zone about an hour earlier than the Wildlife Clinic was set to open, simply as youngsters have been exhibiting up for a Thanksgiving break camp. The camp director alerted wildlife employees, who met the person exterior with a kennel and safely contained the raccoon.

After repeated urging from employees, the person lastly agreed to go to the hospital for therapy of his accidents. The middle, which isn’t licensed to rehabilitate raccoons, contacted colleagues at Bells Ferry Veterinary Hospital, the place the animal was euthanized and examined. The Cherokee County Well being Division later confirmed the raccoon was optimistic for rabies.

Nature heart employees stated the person initially gave a false identify and cellphone quantity to each the wildlife crew and the hospital, complicating efforts to observe up about his potential publicity. They finally realized his actual id when a member of the family referred to as the middle the subsequent day.

In a public assertion, the character heart pressured that whereas the person clearly needed to assist, his selections put himself, his household, employees, volunteers, guests, transporters, and veterinary personnel in danger. They urged the general public to contact licensed wildlife rehabilitators or state wildlife companies as an alternative of making an attempt to seize or transport wild animals on their very own. Rabies in people is sort of at all times deadly with out immediate put up publicity vaccination.

Wildlife specialists say conditions like this have gotten extra frequent as folks more and more “humanize” wild animals. The behavior even has a reputation: anthropomorphism. It describes when people assume animals suppose and really feel the way in which we do, or that an animal that appears scared, cute, or grateful will behave gently.

In actuality, an injured raccoon is probably going terrified, in ache, and primed to chew. Treating it like a pet or a affected person can result in precisely the sort of consequence seen in Cherokee County.

Officers urge anybody who finds a sick or harm wild animal to maintain their distance, keep away from direct contact, and name for steering from licensed wildlife rehabilitators, Animal Assist Now, or their state wildlife company. Good intentions don’t defend you from rabies, claws, or tooth. Let skilled professionals deal with the rescue.

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award-winning out of doors journalist who resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly out of doors column for the Slidell Impartial Newspaper. He additionally writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Fee’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He’s the previous host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Present and is on the board of the Louisiana Out of doors Writers Affiliation. Keith contributes to quite a few publications each on-line and in print and prides himself on selling South Louisiana’s distinctive fishery. To contact Keith e-mail: keithlusherjr@gmail.com