16 treated after touching rabid raccoon
HILTON HEAD ISLAND — More than a dozen people in Hilton Head are being treated by a doctor after they held, fed or kissed a baby raccoon that later tested positive for rabies.
Department of Health and Environmental Control officials tell The Island Packet of Hilton Head that 16 people are being evaluated. Seven more people might need vaccines to prevent them from contracting the disease.
DHEC Public Information Director Clair Boatwright said someone adopted the 3-week-old raccoon and that the animal was handled affectionately by several people before it became ill Monday. The animal later tested positive for rabies. Boatwright said the disease is fatal once symptoms begin to show, meaning the virus has reached the brain. Boatwright said 20 of the residents' pets are being quarantined for 45 days.
Heath officials warn that wild animals should be left alone.
E-mail this story 
Printer-friendly version
Notice about comments:
The Post and Courier is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Post and Courier does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our Web site.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.
Comments
This article has 3 comment(s)
Posted by wonderdog on May 10, 2008 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Kissing a baby wild animal???? Smart, very smart.
(note: I included the name of this type of animal in my comment and was warned)
Posted by auger on May 10, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe the way this is supposed to be handled is the person finding such an animal contacts DNR who will, pick up the animal or, place them in contact with a state certified wildlife rehabilitation person.
Posted by ForPnC on May 10, 2008 at 4:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay, I'm not stupid enough to play with wild animals but I have a question. How do you get rabies from just TOUCHING a rapid animal? Don't you need to be bitten or scratched?
Folks - If a wild animal is acting strangely then report it and keep track of it until authorities arrive. They don't just walk up to humans wanting a scratch behind the ears. They are literally going crazy and don't know what they're doing.
Cute and cuddley DOES kill!