A bewildered mother had her infant son attacked by a raccoon that had crept into her Idaho home and successfully fended off the unexpected visitor while on vacation.
The mother called the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 23, after hearing a “loud noise in the house” and discovering a raccoon was attacking her toddler, the mother shared in a news release. .
The mother was able to catch the furry intruder to save her son, authorities said.
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Idaho Fish and Game said a wild raccoon crept into a home and attacked an infant. (Idaho Fish and Game)
The infant was taken to Cassia Regional Hospital in Burleigh with undisclosed injuries before being transferred to a hospital in Salt Lake City.
According to officials, a sheriff’s deputy returned home with the child’s father, found the animal and killed it.
IDFG noted that it was unclear how the raccoon got into the home and that there were no other raccoons inside.
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The animal’s carcass has since been tested for rabies by the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, and the tests came back negative, the release said.
“Once notified of the incident, Magic Valley District staff activated the Human Wildlife Attack Response Team,” IDFG wrote. “This specially trained team of department personnel is responsible for working to protect the safety of the public and incident responders; attempting to identify, locate and monitor the animal(s) involved in a human wildlife incident; and conduct, document and report the findings of the investigation.”
Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals that is most often transmitted to humans through the bite of a rabid animal. (Istock)
The agency noted that raccoon attacks on humans in the state are “extremely rare,” and that only one case of raccoon rabies has been documented in Idaho.
The IDFG has instructed Idaho residents to “never intentionally feed raccoons,” saying they generally avoid humans unless they feel “threatened.”
“As with all wildlife that can be found around homes in Idaho, the best course of action to avoid raccoon encounters is to take preventive measures before the problem starts,” the department wrote. “Raccoons can live in a variety of habitats, but an area with access to water and food will attract them.
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“A homeowner can limit food sources by securing residential trash, removing any fallen fruit or spoiled produce from the yard or garden, feeding pets indoors, keeping pet food securely stored, and removing or securing bird feeders,” IDFG added. . “Preventing raccoons from accessing hiding places in barns and outbuildings and blocking potential entrances and exits in and around the home will also discourage raccoon use.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to IDFG for comment.
