Burnsville officials report 'unusual number' of calls about raccoons acting strangely

Animal control officials in Burnsville, Minn., say they’ve seen an “unusual number” of reports of raccoons that are sick or acting strangely in recent months.

In a news release this week, the city said its Animal Control staff has received 39 such reports since July — compared to just 17 in 2022.

“These raccoons have been observed to be staggering, experiencing seizures, unafraid of their surroundings and allowing people to approach them, or laying/slumped for an extended period of time,” the city reported.

The reports have been “widely spread” across the southern Twin Cities suburb.

“Two raccoons were recently taken to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Clinic. One animal tested positive for distemper and salmonellosis. The test results for the second raccoon were uncertain but the raccoon may have died from salmonellosis,” the city reported.

As a general rule, authorities said, people should stay away from raccoons or any other wildlife they may encounter. But if Burnsville residents see a raccoon that does not show fear of people or other animals, or displays other abnormal behavior, they should call the city’s Animal Control staff at (952) 894-3647.

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