Police in a small Florida town had to kill four raccoons in a week, after they were seen exhibiting signs of dysentery. All four adult animals were subsequently buried after police consulted with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “We contacted FWC because these (raccoons) all had the same symptoms, like lethargy and just kind of walking around during the day,” said the police chief.
The animals were all found within a half-mile of each other.
FWC experts told the chief raccoons go through cycles of diseases and that what occurred in there was likely part of the cycle.
The chief said the animals did not pose an immediate threat to humans but that the incident provided an opportunity to remind people not to approach wildlife, especially animals that appear to be acting in unusual ways, and instead to report such situations to their nearest law enforcement agency.