Close call

[legend 550]

So I live in town and had a 20+pound raccoon hanging around my shed all day. I see critters all the time but thought it was weird the coon was out in the daytime.
Anyway about 4 I hear a ruckus out back, so I look out the window and the neighbors dogs (on their side of the fence) are barking at the coon. Well the coon isn't happy got his hackles up ready to fight. Just about that time I see the neighbors 4 year old on my side of the fence on a dead run for the coon. I ran to the patio door and tore the latch out of the door(forgot it were locked) and screamed at him to stop. Well I got him stopped 10 feet from the coon and turned around. I called the Police to at least get permission to shoot it since now it was a danger with a 4 year old around, they said they would come over. The cop had a catch net and as we approached the coon It was Lethargic and shaking, and had a weird head twitch. The officer was pretty sure it was in the early stages of rabies and he was taking it to the vet to be sure.
I thank god I saw that 4 year old in time, can't even imaging what would have happened if he had tangled with a rabid coon.

[starmac]

It would have been a very memorable scrap, even without the possible rabies.

[a.squibload]

I saw one the other night next to a dumpster as I was asking where bldg. 5 was
at an apartment complex. Couple people were looking at it, told me it was acting
funny. Lady said she had fed it some steak, tortillas, cheese, etc. etc. (??? why?).
Said it kept falling over.
As I left I saw it sit straight up and fall over on it's side, then stood up and
watched me drive by. Didn't appear agressive, just kind of dazed. Wonder if
it got something bad out of the dumpster?

[x101airborne]

Good on ya. If that 4 year old would have grabbed that coon, he probably would have never done it again. And that is providing he keeps all his eyes, fingers, etc. I dont know about any more, but used to, I heard that rabies treatment was about 12 very large injections into the stomach. Could be an old wives tale, but that is what I was told.

[Jim]

A 'coon in the presence of humans in the day time and acting like he's been drinkin'? You can bet your best rifle he's rabid. I've seen it many times.

[Bill*]

Good on ya. If that 4 year old would have grabbed that coon, he probably would have never done it again. And that is providing he keeps all his eyes, fingers, etc. I dont know about any more, but used to, I heard that rabies treatment was about 12 very large injections into the stomach. Could be an old wives tale, but that is what I was told.

That was true, But I understand that recently it's been reduced to a few (or one) in the arm. Still not desirable to have to need it tho.

[dragonrider]

Thankfully you were there.

[firefly1957]

Thank you for your neighbors and as a parent myself little kids need all the protection we can give them.

[MBTcustom]

Whew!!! I've got a 3 year old myself. She's pretty smart, but sometimes they just don't understand the dangers that are around. I have to say that if it were me, I would consider that coon to be a clear and present danger, and I would have shot first and asked questions later. Good for you for getting there in time to stop a bad situation. A lesser man would have made excuses about how the locked door slowed him down.
Kudos.

[PS Paul]

Last fall I was fishing a little pond for bass on Bainbridge, which is wealthy haven for hippy libtards of the highest order. I saw a baby coon in a tree right next to the walking trail where these bozos walk their dogs, obvlivious to everything. I saw a woman coming up with her dog on a leash, so I told her to stop. Naturally, she saw my rod in hand, so the arrogance overtook her and she kept coming as I was trying to see where the mother was, all the while the woman had a tone in her voice, clearly annoyed by me. She kept asking, "Why? WHY? What is it?". So i pointed at the baby in the tree and she still did not get it that there is a mother somewhere and the dog would obviously go ballistic if the coon made a stand.

Just then, the HUGE mother coon showed up, the dog bolted, and the woman, leash in a death grip, was instantly pulled into a monster mudpuddle and nearly drowned by the dog, who finally came off the leash and chased that coon up a tree.

So the libtard moronic woman looks up at me, just covered in mud and filth, and said, "Why didn't you tell me?". WHAT? In the inimitable words of Nelson Muntz, I laughed at her and said, "HA-ha!" as I walked off to catch and release few more bass. Classic cosmic karma of the most special kind!!!
Paul

[smokeywolf]

legend 550,
Mighty glad to have you on on the castboolits forum
Seems like we ought to have some title to bestow on folks that perform unusual acts of kindness, selflessness, valor, or patriotism; "hero for a day"

I hope the little doorslammer's mom at least baked you a big batch of cookies.

smokeywolf

[PS Paul]

I would definitely vote him "hero of the day"!!

[CLAYPOOL]

ANY warm blooded animal ACTING differant or around people in town has something wrong with it...any animal..Town or Country don't cuddle with people...NEVER...if they do Rabies is very possible..NOT GOOD..don't handle bare handed..use a shovel or something else..

[oldred]

I heard that rabies treatment was about 12 very large injections into the stomach. Could be an old wives tale, but that is what I was told.

That was in the olden times so don't let fear of treatment be a reason to put off seeking help if exposure is suspected. These days the vaccine is injected intramuscular and is a series of four doses of vaccine over a 14 day period and a dose of rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) on the same day as the first dose of vaccine, not much fun but not much more than a normal injection and a heck of a lot less the earlier treatments. If a person thinks they may have been exposed to rabies DON'T TAKE A CHANCE!!! Rabies is 100% fatal after symptoms appear so it's extremely important to take preventive measures as soon as possible, DO NOT wait for treatment to see if a confined animal develops symptoms since it is entirely possible that by the time symptoms appear in the animal it would be too late for a vaccine to work. There are many old, outdated and just plain wrong beliefs about rabies and confining the animal to see what happens before seeking preventive treatment could, and most likely would, be a fatal mistake!

[legend 550]

I would definitely vote him "hero of the day"!!

Thanks but I don't consider myself a hero, just trying to be a good neighbor. I'd have just shot it earlier, but discharging a firearm in city limits could disqualify me from having a conceal carry unless you obtain permission first. Besides if the wrong nosy neighbor saw me shoot that poor defenseless critter I'd have the humane society, Pita and the news all painting me as the bad guy with a gun.

[Chihuahua Floyd]

Oldred beat me to it. I know two people who have have the shots. Both skinny as a rail, not much muscle to get shot in.
Four shots at a time, each arm and each butt check.
CF

[crazy mark]

Also distemper is a possibility as several I have dispatched had it.

[starmac]

Yea. The rabies treatments are way better than they used to be. My grandad had to get them probably at least fifty years ago, and it was a series of shots in the stomach if iirc, that took a week or so to take them all. I remember it was bad enough that the few times I tangled with something when I was a kid, I just didn't mention it, and took my chances. lol

[starbits]

[QUOTE=oldred;1898934]That was in the olden times...


Never knew I lived in the "olden times" before. My brother and I both took the shots in the stomach. If we were good and didn't cry my Dad gave us a dime and an ice cream cone. Not much fun for us and probably not much fun for my folks either.

Starbits