Raccoon Safety Given the number of concerns regarding our raccoons, I thought I’d make a post to address safety concerns and dispel any rumors. Yes, there is a considerable sickness running through our raccoon population. No matter what it is, it cannot affect humans unless a human is in direct contact with the animal’s saliva, feces or urine. Direct contact being through a scratch or bite, or feces/urine entering into a human’s mouth. Our pets are not at risk so long as they are up to date on all vaccinations - especially their rabies, parvo/distemper and leptospirosis. If your pet has an underlying condition Winter 2022
that prevents them from receiving one or more of these vaccinations, they should be kept in their own yard or taken straight to the beach for their own safety. For example, our chihuahua has a seizure disorder that prevents her from safely receiving her lepto shot. Because of that, we keep her away from standing water and away from wild animal droppings. Please consult with your veterinarian if you have concerns and/or are unsure of your pets’ vaccination status. (Side note: lepto is not suspected to be what’s causing our raccoons to fall ill, but it’s a very important vaccine for pets that live near wildlife anywhere in the US.) | 61
