Leave Raccoons Alone

Leave raccoons alone as the funny acting wildlife is not a public health issue.

Kentucky is fortunate to have abundant wildlife populations and has a very large population of raccoons. Unfortunately, raccoons are the reservoir specie for Canine Distemper Virus which causes a mild to moderate encephalitis which leads to them act funny/strange/bizarre, perhaps more friendly, less fearful of humans and they stagger around. The public consistently thinks it is rabies.

The public health message is to leave the raccoons alone as the funny acting wildlife is not a public health issue. Many raccoons will survive the disease. A funny acting raccoon in Kentucky is Canine Distemper Virus until proven otherwise.

If a funny acting raccoon is in a public setting, please call KY Fish & Wildlife at 800-858-1549 to report it to them, or call the county animal control officer at 859-498-8751.

For more info on the Distemper Virus, click here.

For a video showing the virus-related strange behavior, click here.

-Kentucky Department for Public Health