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Knoxville Animal Control sees uptick in raccoons sick with distemper

Animal control officers say they pick up three or four raccoons every day.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville Animal Control officers said they are picking up a record number of raccoons in the city, many of which are sick with distemper. 

Officers said they pick up around three or four raccoons everyday inside the city limits of Knoxville. None have tested positive for rabies, but many have the distemper virus. 

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"In the years past, we haven’t had this many raccoons that have been this sick," said Rhonda Bender, an Animal Control Officer with the Knoxville Police Department. "It’s everywhere in the city right now. They’re all sick. They’re tested and it’s showing up with distemper."

Credit: Marc Sallinger

Officers are not sure what is causing the increase in the number of sick raccoons. If they have the distemper virus, they often lose their fear of humans. 

"They’ll be really close to you. They’re not really afraid of you, of people. They’ll come up on your porch," said Bender. "Your dogs can get distemper. That’s why recommend to everybody that dogs and cats are vaccinated."

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Officers are not sure why there are so many more raccoons or why so many of them are sick. They do know that people taking the problem into their own hands only makes it worse.

"People are transferring sick raccoons from one location to another," said Bender. "So this sick raccoon over here is being transferred to this location which is making these guys sick."

RELATED: Raccoons infected with distemper spotted in Knoxville as raccoon population grows

When animal control picks up a raccoon, adult animals are euthanized humanely. Baby raccoons are often sent to a rehab center where they are treated.

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