Raccoons appear to be getting more aggressive lately, with attacks on pets and humans on the rise. Alameda, in particular, has had an increase in raccoon attacks since the summer.
First, a raccoon attacked a woman and her yorkshire terrier while walking in Alameda’s Washington Park around 11 p.m. on November 7th. The woman was bitten by the raccoon after falling as she tried to run away as her dog barked at several raccoons.
Most recently, on Thursday December 9th, two dogs were attacked by raccoons that entered through a house’s doggy door looking for food and water. Both dogs were treated with antibiotics in case of rabies and quarantined to their homes.
This attack is at least the eighth reported in the area since June. According to Alameda County Vector Control, no case of a raccoon with rabies has ever been reported, but rabies shots are given when a pet or human has been bitten, as a precaution.
Raccoons can carry rabies as well as canine distemper. In San Francisco, there are distemper outbreaks in raccoons every year. San Francisco Animal Control says to vaccinate your pet for distemper and rabies and always keep them on a leash around places where raccoons live.
They also say never to touch raccoons or their feces. Raccoons have an intestinal parasitic worm that will cause severe disease if it infects humans.
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