Child Attacked By Rabid Raccoon In Arlington

ARLINGTON, MA — A raccoon that attacked a child in Arlington earlier this week tested positive for rabies, town officials said. The attack happened Wednesday, Oct. 14 in the backyard of a home on Fountain Road.

The child, who is under the age of 5, suffered bites and scratches before the mother chased the raccoon away, according to a statement from Arlington Police Chief Julie Flaherty and Health and Human Services Director Christine Bongiorno.

The child was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and is expected to be okay.

Police searched the area and found a raccoon acting lethargic on nearby Buena Vista Road around 5:40 p.m. The animal was believed to be the same one that attacked the child and was euthanized, health officials said.

Arlington Animal Control brought the raccoon to a state testing site to be tested for rabies. The Department of Health and Human Services was notified Friday that the raccoon tested positive for rabies.

"While we do not believe there is any current danger to the community, we wanted to notify residents about this incident, so they can be vigilant about protecting their loved ones and pets," Flaherty said in a statement. "Our thoughts go out to the family and the young child who had to suffer this horrific ordeal. If anyone notices any wild animals acting aggressively or strangely, they should call the Arlington Police Department at 781-643-1212 to report it immediately. Please avoid the animal in question and do not approach it."

Rabies is a serious disease that affects the brain and spinal cord in mammals, including humans. The Arlington Police Department and Department of Health and Human Services shared the following tips to help prevent the spread of rabies:

• Teach children to never approach animals they don’t know – even if they appear friendly.
• Report any animal that behaves oddly to your local animal control official.
• Enjoy wild animals from a distance. Do not keep wild animals as pets. This is against the law in Massachusetts.
• Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies. By law, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be regularly vaccinated against rabies.
• Don’t feed or water your pets outside. Even empty bowls will attract wild and stray animals.
• Keep your pets in a fenced yard or on a leash and do not let them roam freely.
• Keep your garbage securely covered. Open garbage will attract wild or stray animals.
• Keep your chimney capped and repair holes in attics, cellars, and porches to help keep wild animals like bats and raccoons out of your home.

Learn more about rabies.

"Rabies can turn wild animals extremely aggressive toward humans and pets," Bongiorno said. "It is always important to be sure to never approach or feed wild animals. Keeping your trash covered and not leaving pet food outside of your house can be helpful ways to prevent attracting unwanted wild animals into our neighborhoods."