BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Usually raccoons avoid people, however a video from Saturday in Burnsville that reveals a raccoon showing to have a seizure in a household’s yard, is precisely why town has despatched out a warning.
“It was roughly two weeks in the past that Burnsville Animal Control reached out to us and requested about outbreaks of raccoon, probably distemper or rabies, as a result of they had been noticing, at the moment, as much as 20 stories of neurologic or sick appearing raccoons,” mentioned Michelle Carstensen, Wildlife Health Program Supervisor on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Those numbers have now climbed to 39 sick raccoon stories up to now this 12 months, in comparison with 17 all of final 12 months.
Two raccoons have been despatched for testing and had been found to have viral canine distemper, and that might get handed to your pet.
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“A canine that’s unvaccinated that occurred to come across a sick raccoon on this state of affairs could be prone to getting that virus,” Carstensen mentioned. “And in that might be one thing we actually would wish to keep away from as a result of there actually is not any remedy, there’s simply supportive care.”
Residents have observed the sick animals.
“We walked down there and it was all simply curled up on the path. And it was respiratory, nevertheless it had its head buried and it wasn’t doing something,” Burnsville resident Julie Schildbach mentioned.
The DNR says it is a good reminder to avoid wild animals and keep away from attracting them to you or your home.
“Having a whole lot of raccoons in shut contact perpetuates the cycle,” Carstensen mentioned. “So we wish to keep away from concentrating wildlife if we are able to by not placing out meals that they will get into, and and bringing them in shut contact with people usually.”
The DNR says it hasn’t obtained stories of any odd raccoon conduct outdoors of Burnsville, however that does not imply it isn’t occurring.
They advise taking warning round all wild animals wherever you encounter them.
