Barrington Police euthanize nearly a half-dozen sick raccoons
On Sunday, three sick raccoons reported in less than four hours
The death count for sick raccoons in Barrington continues to rise.
Barrington Police responded to nearly a half-dozen incidents involving sick raccoons last week, and with each situation …
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Barrington Police euthanize nearly a half-dozen sick raccoons
On Sunday, three sick raccoons reported in less than four hours
The death count for sick raccoons in Barrington continues to rise.
Barrington Police responded to nearly a half-dozen incidents involving sick raccoons last week, and with each situation the officers needed to euthanize the animals.
The calls started on Monday, Nov. 11 at about 1:30 p.m., when police received numerous calls for a sick raccoon in the roadway near the intersection of County Road and Federal Road. According to the dispatch log, a passerby moved the raccoon out of the roadway, and an officer later euthanized the animal.
At about 9:10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, Barrington Police responded to Rumstick Road for another sick raccoon. An officer euthanized the raccoon.
Police responded to three separate raccoon-related incidents on Sunday, Nov. 17. At about 10:30 a.m., police received a call about a sick raccoon on a section of the bike path between Washington Road and Alfred Drown Road. Police euthanized the animal.
About an hour and a half later, a Rumstick Road resident called police and reported a raccoon showing signs of distemper. Police euthanized that animal.
And at 2:15 p.m., police responded to the intersection of County Road and Albert Avenue after an East Providence Police officer chased a sick raccoon across town lines into Barrington. A local police officer euthanized the raccoon.
Barrington Police have seen an increase in the number of sick raccoons in town this fall. Police said the raccoons were likely stricken with distemper. According to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, canine distemper is a virus that is prevalent in canids and other wildlife such as foxes, raccoons, skunks and coyotes. It is highly contagious and the symptoms often resemble those of rabies. It is not transmittable to humans.
“Although rare in Rhode Island, domestic dogs are highly susceptible to canine distemper and should be vaccinated. There is no cure for an animal once it is infected. Keep pets away from wildlife and do not feed pets outside,” stated an informational sheet from RIDEM.
