Should Roscoe the raccoon be euthanized after biting Heard Museum employee?

kmcg9, anonymous:

What idiot actually wrote this? It's a captive raccoon, be that right or wrong he isn't exposed to guests or children - or you, or your neighbor, or your dog. Good grief.

If that raccoon was vaccinated with any leading rabies vaccine, such as Imrab 3, there is NO way he has contracted rabies anymore than a dog or cat or horse or cow OR person who has been vaccinated properly. I would bet my last dollar he is fully current.

Kill, kill, kill..... WHY?

Do some homework, and take our so-called "Health Dept experts" with you. We are such idiots about wildlife today... unbelievable and unacceptable! Go write about something you have a clue about.

jennray121097, anonymous:

There is absolutely NO reason to kill this raccoon! He is captive, and has been vaccinated. If he had rabies, he would be showing symptoms, or be dead from the disease by now. As far as comparing him as being more vicious and dangerous than a house dog, that is an absolutely rediculous statement. You may as well compare an african lion to a common house dog. This raccoon does not deserve to die. As far as the chances of him biting again, yes it is possible. But he is not exposed to the general public on an up close basis. And an EXPERIENCED keeper would know how to "read" his behavior and body language. Standard precautions for a captive wild animal should ALWAYS be followed, no matter what species! And a little common sense goes a long way, too!

cavk53, anonymous:

yea i agree - some idiot wrote that article!! you can bet your last dollar that any animal can bite. oh wait a min. i think little children do that too.they gonna euthanize them too, cuz you know that kids will do it again.. you take a animal out of its "comfort zone" and they get nervous, they get scared, what istheir only defence?? teeth. worried about the racoon leaving a "life long scar"? how about some of these parents raising children?? - you talk about leaving life long scares on someone. would i put my dog down cuz he bit someone- hell no!!! yes my dog bit some one. actually 2 different people- whose fault??? not the dog, i have been bit by animals (wow come to think of it - lots of different ones over the years) and children.- whos fault - not the animals. (children? sometimes tend to bite). Roscoe should not be put down.

mrsshortay, anonymous:

i agree with everyone else on here. there is no reason whatsoever to put this raccoon down. just like they said earlier would you put anything down if they bite? well ive seen adults, children, and animals bite did they all get killed? NO !!!!!!!! not 1 of them did, he was proably just scared or something and it happens, i mean if he tore the worker up severly and couldnt be controled than thats a different story but he didnt!

maryellenks, anonymous:

Roscoe could not have rabies, he's been in captivity for years and he's been vaccinated! as for the "what if he bites a child" routine - he does not interact freely with the public, he bit a staff member who was handling him, not some random visitor. and raccoons are not 'more vicious than dogs'; that statement makes no sense. More people are bitten by dogs every year than by raccoons, in fact, in S. America, guess what animal is responsible for the most rabies infections in humans? Dogs. Dogs have infected far, far more people with rabies than raccoons ever could.

lisaltx, anonymous:

John McClelland - The bitee is not complaining. She in fact is opposed to having him euthanized. She is apparently experienced at handling wild animals in a rescue setting and understands these things happen.

recycled_bookworm, anonymous:

The Heard Museum did everything right concerning this situation. Native species are owned by the state of Texas NOT the Heard museum. The state has loaned Roscoe to the Heard for educational purposes. Since Texas protects their native wildlife any individual who comes into contact with Rosoce, even if it is cleaning the exhibit, must be permitted by Texas Parks and Wildlife. Every animal at the Heard is not accessible to the public since they are placed off the exhibit trail. They are merely to be seen and educate visitors on their natural behavior.

Roscoe, like any other animal, resorts to biting as a means to communicate. When working with captive animals bites happen. When they do the staff examines the situation, takes the necessary precautions and changes their behavior so it doesn't happen again. All of which the Heard has done.

The issue that the City of McKinney is forced to examine is whether to first consider Roscoe a raccoon, which in no way means he is aggressive by nature just that his species is high risk for carrying rabies, or is Roscoe first a captive animal. Since there is a USDA approved rabies vaccine which Roscoe has already had a substantial history of being routinely administered and the bite was not severe there is no reason to consider Roscoe a raccoon at large. In captive animal situations when bites occur the animal is quarantined and observed for signs of rabies. Roscoe has been under observation for a month which is adequate time to determine if the concern has past.

Roscoe is a captive, educational animal first. By euthanizing him, the Heard and the State of Texas would loose a valuable opportunity to not only educate the public about raccoons in the wild but also the consequences of human interference in wild populations.