Keith Lusher 12.05.25
A Cherokee County, Georgia man is undergoing rabies treatment after trying to rescue an injured raccoon by driving it to a nature center inside his coat. The animal later tested positive for rabies.
According to staff at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, the man found the raccoon vocalizing in the road and decided to get it help. With nothing else available, he wrapped the wild animal in his coat and held it against his chest while driving more than an hour to the center.
During the trip, the raccoon managed to work its head free and bit the man on his face and hands. Instead of calling for help, officials say he drove home, wrapped the raccoon in a blanket secured with duct tape, and then continued on to the nature center.
He arrived in the parking lot about an hour before the Wildlife Clinic was set to open, just as children were showing up for a Thanksgiving break camp. The camp director alerted wildlife staff, who met the man outside with a kennel and safely contained the raccoon.
After repeated urging from staff, the man finally agreed to go to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. The center, which is not licensed to rehabilitate raccoons, contacted colleagues at Bells Ferry Veterinary Hospital, where the animal was euthanized and tested. The Cherokee County Health Department later confirmed the raccoon was positive for rabies.
Nature center staff said the man initially gave a false name and phone number to both the wildlife team and the hospital, complicating efforts to follow up about his potential exposure. They eventually learned his real identity when a family member called the center the next day.
In a public statement, the nature center stressed that while the man clearly wanted to help, his choices put himself, his family, staff, volunteers, visitors, transporters, and veterinary personnel at risk. They urged the public to contact licensed wildlife rehabilitators or state wildlife agencies instead of attempting to capture or transport wild animals on their own. Rabies in humans is almost always fatal without prompt post exposure vaccination.
Wildlife experts say situations like this are becoming more common as people increasingly “humanize” wild animals. The habit even has a name: anthropomorphism. It describes when humans assume animals think and feel the way we do, or that an animal that looks scared, cute, or grateful will behave gently.
In reality, an injured raccoon is likely terrified, in pain, and primed to bite. Treating it like a pet or a patient can lead to exactly the kind of outcome seen in Cherokee County.
Officials urge anyone who finds a sick or hurt wild animal to keep their distance, avoid direct contact, and call for guidance from licensed wildlife rehabilitators, Animal Help Now, or their state wildlife agency. Good intentions do not protect you from rabies, claws, or teeth. Let trained professionals handle the rescue.
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