possibly rabid animals in Prospect Park

opossumqueen

Hey park goers, I saw two sick, very possibly rabid animals in the park today (park workers were notified) while walking my dog. There was a very ill opossum on the peninsula and a possibly sick raccoon this afternoon (well before sunset) near PPW. I don't know what happened with them--my dog was going nuts over the easy prey so I didn't stick around.

I and other dog owners have seen quite a few dead raccoons around the park recently and I've heard second-hand about another possibly rabid (or otherwise ill) opossum, so be careful. Dog owners and parents should especially be careful. I've actually witnessed a mother walk her toddler up to an obviously rabid raccoon and try to pet it so know that if you can get that close to one, you should NOT get close.

newguy88

OpossumQueen said:

I've actually witnessed a mother walk her toddler up to an obviously rabid raccoon and try to pet it so know that if you can get that close to one, you should NOT get close.

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to have kids. Thanks for the heads up!

bohuma

I think it's safe to assume that every raccoon, opossum and bat is carrying rabies.

alana

It is ignorant to assume opossums carry rabies as less than ten have tested positive in over 150 years, learn more about them at: http://www.wildlifehotline.com/welcome/mammals/opossums/

Rabies is rare what is more common is POISON, it is more likely some jerk left out poison to kill rats and the animals either at the poison or the poisoned animals.

What is safe to assume is that an ill animal is unpredictable and needs help. The ACC will NOT help you. Try Sean Casey or the ASPCA. Take pictures of the animal and remember where and when you saw it.

youbetcha

If you see a raccoon out in the daytime wandering around aimlessly it either has rabies or it has been poisoned. They are nocturnal creatures and hunters. As for opossums who tend to stay in the same place that is protected, dark and quiet, they are one of the least likely animals to get rabies and if you saw one out wandering around in the day it probably was poisoned. That takes some doing though since they have one of the more robust immune systems in the animal kingdom. They are almost immune to snake venom, for example. I'd be more worried about the poison being used in the park. That's more of danger for dogs and small children.

salix

Alana is correct. It is unlikely that the 'possum is rabid. A more likely possibility is distemper, but even more likely is that the possum is dying naturally. They have a short life span & can die literally overnight. They are the tag end, so to speak, of an early mammalian form & have a very different metabolism from most other mammals. Raccoons also get distemper. Keep your distance, notify Parks, & FIDO. an also Child Protective Services for that idiot mother.

opossumqueen

The possum was not tested but apparently once caught, they decided it had been badly injured. I grew up somewhere with lots of opossums, raccoons, armadillos, and foxes around and never saw a possum acting like this one--having seen many raccoons with distemper or rabies, I would have guessed this possum was ill not injured.

We've had an actual foaming at the mouth raccoon in our yard this year (FYI, if it's at night, the swat team actually deals with possibly rabid animals) and despite the lack of actual testing to confirm, there have been many diseased raccoons in the park over the last couple of years. They just assumed the raccoon from our yard had rabies and disposed of it, in case you were wondering. We were told they weren't expected to take it in for testing (I guess since nobody was bitten).

So many squirrels have eaten rat poison in certain areas of the park that my dog now thinks it's common for squirrels to just fall out of trees.