Rabid Raccoon Shot, Killed by Police
The large raccoon was seen foaming from its mouth and nose on the porch of a home in White Lake.
White Lake Police responded to a home on Bonita Drive Oct, 22 after a homeowner reported having a large raccoon foaming from its mouth and nose on his back porch.
When the officer arrived, according to a police report, he corralled the raccoon into a garbage can and shot it. The raccoon did not die.
According to the report, the officer shot the raccoon again, in the head, then had to leave to respond to a retail fraud.
The officer returned two hours later, and the raccoon was still in the garbage can - alive.
The officer carefully packed up the raccoon and transported it to state land where it was finally disposed of.
For questions about this crime report, email brooke.meier@patch.com.
Connie Schimp
9:31 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Poor raccoon. ;(
Lee Fons-Carter
11:37 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
It's a shame that poor raccoon had to suffer like that :'(
Cindy
2:35 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
I wonder if they buried the poor thing.
Dennis
2:35 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
It was a rabid Raccoon, I prefer the animal suffer than my kid get bitten and have to suffer. Goodby raccoon, enjoy your dirt nap.
Dennis
2:35 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
oops, fat fingered that one... goodbye*
Laura Vogel
3:01 pm on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Regardless of whether the animal was truly rabid or not ("frothing" at the mouth is hardly a veterinary clinical diagnosis, some would say there's a lot of "frothing" going on over in the political discussions right now... but I digress...) ANYWAY, regardless of whether the animal was suffering from a rabies infection on top of suffering from non-fatal gunshot wounds, most humans prefer to dispense with other soon-to-be-formerly-living creatures in a humane manner. Hence the language nuance of humans having decided that human"E" and human are connected words in the first place. My church teaches that when God gave humans dominion over the animals and plants, that this "dominion" came with the baggage of doing so in the likeness and image of God as a Creator, not a destroyer (Genesis 1:4). To leave an animal needlessly suffering is an abomination in God's eyes, or at least as I've been taught.
Dennis
2:31 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
That's fine, enjoy your religious soap box. It can bite your child and we'll see how quickly you ask for its death. Animals are not Humans and to compare the two as if they are on the same level should be embarrassing to you. If there is a more humane way to dispose of a possibly dangerous and disease ridden vermin you're welcome to offer a solution. I don't mean to sound ruthless, it's unfortunate that the animal suffered, but the alternative could have been a lot worse.
Laura Vogel
8:29 pm on Friday, October 26, 2012
sorry you feel that actually killing the animal, versus merely wounding it and leaving it for hours, is apparently a suitable way of disposing of a nuisance animal. I never said a raccoon was "equal" to a human, but I did indeed imply that a human owes a duty to not leave other living creatures needlessly in agony.
Gerry Szumiak
10:13 pm on Friday, October 26, 2012
How do you know this animal suffered at all? It was shot in the head to the point that the officer thought he killed it.
Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). My guess is the disease caused reflexive motor activity in the raccoon because it's brain continued to swell hours after it's death.
Nancy Homeister
3:00 pm on Friday, October 26, 2012
Brooke - the worst I've seen from you. If you want to claim there was a rabid animal in White Lake, you should have waited for the test results. This poor animal probably had distemper, or had been hit by a car, but either way it suffered unnecessarily.
Brooke Tajer
3:01 pm on Friday, October 26, 2012
I'm sorry Nancy, rabid was the term used by the police department and in the report.
John Holmes
5:54 pm on Friday, October 26, 2012
Please Nancy,
don't shoot the messenger. If you want to be upset at someone, be upset at the "CRITTER CONTROL" people on Bogie Lake rd, just south of M-59. Residents of Lakewood Village have been over run with COONS and POSSUMS because there is no law to stop them from letting the animals they trap out in they're yard. Haven't you seen all the dead animals in front of this house? The WLPD was called and they said there was nothing they could do about these jokers letting all these nasty critters loose on this neigborhood. So as a result, they are looking for dinner, in everyone's garbage cans. COON LOVERS UNITE!! Post your address and we'll be sure to drop them off at your house for a fun filled day of fresh fruit, manicures, and hygiene lessons.....as to not foam at the mouth.