A man tried to save a hurt raccoon in Cherokee County and ended up with bites to his face and hands and a rabies scare, according to the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell. The raccoon later tested positive for rabies.
What’s Happening: Nature center staff say the man picked up the raccoon from a road, held it close to his chest for more than an hour in his car, and then brought it to the wildlife clinic in Roswell.
Staff at the center say they do not accept raccoons and tell people to call licensed wildlife rehabilitators instead.
What’s Important: Tests showed the raccoon had rabies, according to the nature center. Staff say the animal bit the man on his face and hands before that test.
Rabies can spread through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. Health experts warn that without fast treatment, rabies in people is almost always deadly.
How It Unfolded: According to the Chattahoochee Nature Center, the man saw the raccoon in the road and heard it making loud sounds. Staff say he did not have a crate or box, so he wrapped the raccoon in his coat and held it against his chest while he drove.
The center says that during the drive, the raccoon pushed its head free and bit him on the face and hands. Staff report that he then drove home, tied the animal up in a blanket with duct tape, and drove again to the nature center.
The man reached the center about an hour before the wildlife clinic opened, according to the statement. At the same time, children arrived on site for day camp. Staff met the man in the parking lot, took the raccoon from him, and urged him to go to a hospital for treatment. The center says he agreed to leave for medical care after strong pressure from staff.
The nature center reports that a nearby animal hospital agreed to put down the raccoon and send it for rabies testing. A transporter with the Georgia Wildlife Network moved the raccoon from the nature center to that clinic.
Within two days, tests confirmed the raccoon had rabies, according to the statement from the center.
Key Safety Concerns: Nature center staff say the man at first refused to give his real name and gave the hospital a false phone number. That choice slowed efforts to reach him after the rabies test came back positive. The center says a family member later called and gave correct contact details.
Staff at the center urge people not to touch wild animals, even when the animals look sick or hurt. They tell residents to call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or animal control instead of trying to move the animal on their own. They also stress that anyone who gets bitten or scratched by a wild animal should seek medical care right away.
