Boy bitten by rabid raccoon; other possible victims urged to call 911 immediately

Published 5:08 pm Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Local officials are urging anyone who may have been exposed this week to a rabid raccoon in Al Rollins Park on Threadmill Road in Whitfield County to call 911 immediately.

A 6-year-old boy is already undergoing treatment for rabies after being bitten and scratched multiple times by the raccoon Tuesday afternoon at the park.

“We hear that possibly a young female may have also been scratched by a raccoon, and if that is the case, her family needs to contact 911 as soon as possible to begin treatment,” said Diane Franklin, Whitfield County Animal Shelter rabies control officer.

The raccoon, described by Franklin as a “huge male,” attacked the boy about 12:30 or 1 p.m. and inflicted multiple bites and scratches on him.

“He had gone to the stream to look at the water,” Franklin said, “and the raccoon came out of a culvert and attacked him unprovoked. His father reacted appropriately and was able to contain the animal because he knew it would have to be tested. Fortunately, the father was not bitten or scratched.”

Franklin stressed that anyone who was scratched or bitten by the raccoon, which ultimately tested positive for rabies, needs to begin rabies treatment immediately.

“As we take away their habitats with new subdivisions and houses, we are seeing more and more rabid raccoons,” she said. “Anytime anyone has an encounter with a raccoon, fox, or skunk, stay away, don’t mess with it, get out of its way because you don’t know if it has rabies or not.”

Animal Shelter officials will be talking to people at the park today and Thursday to try and make sure there are no other victims of the raccoon, as well as walking the neighborhoods in the vicinity to let residents know about the attack.

From the North Georgia Health District:

Whitfield County Environmental Health staff are posting fliers in the Al Rollins Park area asking residents to call if they believe they or their children were exposed to the raccoon. Those individuals are urged to contact Diane Franklin at the Whitfield County Animal Shelter at (706) 278-2018 or (706) 463-0463, or they may call Chad Mulkey at the Whitfield County Environmental Health office at (706) 272-2005.