Rabid Raccoon

[GreatLakesGramma]

I thank the Lord for saving me today from being bitten by a rabid raccoon that chased me as I walked the secluded country back road through the woods that is my regular walking route. As I reached the corner a mile from home and looped around for the return trek home, I saw a raccoon walking along the road, on the same side I had been on, traveling roughly in the same direction I had been. But now that I was going the opposite direction, the coon turned and walked toward me. It had been following me, but I didn't know it. I yelled and threw some sticks at it, but it didn't change its course or its speed, but continued to walk directly toward me. I began to run, hoping to put some distance between the animal and myself, then continue my walk home. But when I glanced back, I discovered that the raccoon had also started to run after me. I ran into the back driveway of the house on the corner, the only house from that corner almost to my home a mile away, but it didn't look like anyone was home, as they are usually outside during the summer.

As I had approaced the corner, a white car had driven very slowly past, and I thought they were going to turn the corner. But as they continued very slowly past and even stopped just a few yards beyond the intersection, I assumed they were looking for a lost pet. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. God sent 2 human angels to rescue me from the raccoon. They had seen the animal following me, and weren't sure what to think - maybe I had a pet raccoon. But when they saw my reaction upon seeing it, they turned around and followed.

They pulled up to the driveway and offered me a ride, which I gladly accepted. But I also saw the raccoon catch up to their car and pass it on the other side at about the same time. By the time I reached the car, where the front seat passenger was outside clearing the back seat, the coon had circled around the front of the car and was even with the front of it, still coming at me with an open mouth and a determined look. I picked up a large stick and began waving and poking it in the animal's face, but it didn't back off, only slowed its approach. I asked the lady to please hurry, and she told me to get in the front seat. Then I frantically told her to get in quickly, as the coon was almost to her.

I should have asked them to run over the coon, but I didn't think of that until later. Once they dropped me off, I did get into my own vehicle and go back that way, hoping to do so myself, but the animal wan't on the road any longer. I called and left a message for for the family living in the house where I'd been chased, warning them to watch for the coon, and I tried to call the DNR to report the sighting, but they're closed on the weekend. Later my husband drove along that road, trying to locate and dispatch the coon. One ran across the road as he passed back and forth, twice, much nearer to our house. I'm sure it must have been the same one, as raccoons never come out during the day. But he wasn't able to run it down.

I got online tonight and looked up information on rabies, so I would have some idea of when it will be safe to set foot outside again. One of the articles suggested calling animal control, so I tried them, but they were closed by then, so I followed the emergency instructions on their message and called the county sheriff's office, and the officer said he'd go out and try to find it. Unfortunately, by then it was already dark, so the chances of him finding it tonight don't seem good. Please join me in praying for the safety of the families in our neighborhood, and that the animal will be found and destroyed soon.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I learned today that the raccoon probably wasn't rabid after all. The county dispatcher told me that no case of rabies in a raccoon has ever been recorded in our county, also that rabies is actually very rare here, and has only occurred occasionally in bats.

I didn't think there was any other disease in animals that would cause them to chase a human, but he said the raccoon probably had distemper, was delirious with a high fever, and didn't know what it was doing. It's probably already dead. The dispatcher doesn't think it would have bitten me, but even if it had, humans don't get distemper.

I was SO relieved to know that no one was put in danger by my failure to report the incident quickly. I was more distressed over that than anything else. I was also beginning to wonder if it really is as safe as I've always believed it to be to walk the back roads, or to have my grandchildren playing outside, so I'm glad too, for the reassurance that it really is. The most dangerous outdoor threat here really is the mosquito, after all!

But I'm still thankful that the Lord sent someone along just then. I've never been bitten by an animal, and I don't ever want to be. I feel awfully sorry for that poor raccoon though, and I wish I could have done something to give it some comfort in its last hours. Even running over it would have at least put an end to its suffering.