VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Sick and dying raccoons are creating concern among neighbors in the Bayville section of Virginia Beach.
Glenn Gilman’s family found one in their yard last week.
“I could see they were breathing but didn’t move,” he said. They found another a couple days ago. “This raccoon was dead — we called animal control.”
Neighbors Laura and Glenn Scott took cellphone video of a clearly-ill raccoon circling and pacing around their back deck in the middle of the day.
“It is a little scary because you don’t want to be around the raccoon,” Laura Scott said. “You’re not sure you know what he’s going to do. He’s sick.”
In some cases, neighbors report that the animals are literally falling from the trees.
Animal control confirmed to 10 On Your Side that they are seeing an uptick in raccoon calls in several areas of the city — Bayville, Great Neck and Kempsville.
“There’s no way for us to differentiate whether it’s rabid or has distemper,” said animal enforcement supervisor Adam Blankenship.
That, he explained, is because they’re not testing the animals.
“It’s one of those things where, if there’s no known exposure, then no, we won’t test because of the resources it takes,” Blankenship said.
Rabies is a threat to people and their pets.
People do not get distemper, but man’s best friend can get it, and there is no cure.
A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health confirmed that they did ask Animal Control to keep some of the deceased animals, and VDH tested some about a month ago after reports that some ill raccoons were approaching people. VDH told WAVY the raccoons tested negative for rabies.
Animal experts advise every pet owner to make sure your pet’s vaccines are up to date. And, if you see a dead raccoon, or one that’s acting strangely, keep your distance and call animal control.