On Monday evening 8/3, a raccoon attacked and bit a person on Vassar Avenue. This unusual behavior suggests the raccoon was rabid. The next evening a dead raccoon and a dead skunk were found a few blocks away, near the Sessions/Elmgrove intersection. Animal Control took both animals away to be tested for rabies. It’s not known whether this is the same raccoon involved in Monday’s bite.
Please be very careful if you notice wildlife behaving strangely! According to the RI Dept of Health, bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes are the most common carriers of rabies in Rhode Island. The RIDOH website has information about rabies, including what to do if you are bitten.
Kirsten A. Bagaglia, CRPC