08/28/2026
🦝 A 2 A.M. BACKYARD ENCOUNTER THAT ENDED WITH 18 SHOTS…
We responded to a call involving a frightened raccoon trapped inside a homeowner’s backyard.
The night before, around 2 a.m., she let her dogs outside one last time. Moments later, she heard them barking uncontrollably. They had cornered the raccoon, leaving it terrified and with nowhere to escape.
As she pulled both dogs away, the raccoon saw an opening and charged, biting her as it tried to get free.
This appeared to be a defensive reaction from a scared animal, no proof that it had rabies. However, you cannot determine whether a wild animal has rabies simply by its behavior.
The homeowner immediately sought medical care and received 18 injections during her first visit. These were rabies immune globulin injections placed directly in and around the wounds, along with her first rabies vaccine.
For someone who has never been vaccinated against rabies, the standard vaccine schedule is generally given on days 0, 3, 7 and 14. Those initial injections around the wounds can be EXTREMELY painful, but any possible rabies exposure must be taken seriously.
When we arrived, the raccoon was still hiding deep inside a hedge, barely peeking its head out. The gates had remained open for more than 24 hours, yet it was too frightened and disoriented to leave.
We deployed two baited traps and prepared the equipment necessary to safely remove it without placing the homeowner, her dogs or the animal at further risk.
This is an important reminder: a frightened wild animal may defend itself when cornered, but fear-based behavior does not automatically mean rabies. Any raccoon that bites someone must still be reported and handled in coordination with the local health department or animal control so proper rabies protocols can be followed.
If you encounter a raccoon, keep your distance, bring your pets inside and call a professional.
📞 Raccoon removal: (954) 675-6387
Trapper Dan here 🫡 happy to help!
