Raccoon attack ! Prevention?

[Folly's place]

Additional important issues here: is your dog injured? Did you inspect your dog without gloves on yourself? Any raccoon saliva on you is a cause for concern. Wash up, and call your MD Monday morning. It's always best to have this raccoon dead, and tested for rabies. It's done at the state lab just north of Lansing, and your Animal Control should take the body there for testing. This is not a minor issue...
Also, hope your dog is up to date on vaccines for distemper and rabies, and needs at least a rabies booster next week even if the current vaccination is still good.
Trap and shoot those raccoons, not in the head, so testing can be done.
It's pretty uncommon for a raccoon to tackle a dog, especially during the day. It might actually be unwell.
Set traps today!
All the best,
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

A few years ago, animal control and the Livingston county health department told me that 'we don't have rabies in raccoons in this county' and refused to have one tested. It hadn't actually bitten anyone, but was involved with people, and was siezuring. Bad of them! Don't take no for an answer about this...
Mary

 

[Karianne]

Additional important issues here: is your dog injured? Did you inspect your dog without gloves on yourself? Any raccoon saliva on you is a cause for concern. Wash up, and call your MD Monday morning. It's always best to have this raccoon dead, and tested for rabies. It's done at the state lab just north of Lansing, and your Animal Control should take the body there for testing. This is not a minor issue...
Also, hope your dog is up to date on vaccines for distemper and rabies, and needs at least a rabies booster next week even if the current vaccination is still good.
Trap and shoot those raccoons, not in the head, so testing can be done.
It's pretty uncommon for a raccoon to tackle a dog, especially during the day. It might actually be unwell.
Set traps today!
All the best,
Mary

Thank you. Yes, I was a little concerned about this myself. My dog is not injured thankfully. I didn't touch the dog for a while afterwards, but she may have brushed up against me briefly. But my husband says I'm crazy for worrying! Luckily I did her boosters just a few months ago, so she should be good. But I might call on Monday to double check.

 

[Folly's place]

When there's a possible rabies exposure, she needs that booster. And an untested raccoon, skunk, fox, or bat qualifies.
Mary

 

[Karianne]

Not sure what type of latch you have on your coop door but I use locking carabiners on both chicken coop doors and my nesting box door. It's a cheap and effective way to lock it. I also have one on my gate. Think 2 step locking. If it requires to motions to open it, you should be good. Raccoons are fairly smart but can't usually do more than one motion to open something. Hope that helps! We didn't have a lock on the access to the nesting boxes but we added one which is pretty simple and secured it with a locking carabiner. I can post pictures if necessary!

Thank you! I have carabiners on all but one of my locks as there is no where to fit a carabiner to it (it's a small slide lock), but I'm going to try and sort that today or tomorrow so I can fit a carabiner to the same door so it's secure. Fingers crossed!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thank you! I have carabiners on all but one of my locks as there is no where to fit a carabiner to it (it's a small slide lock), but I'm going to try and sort that today or tomorrow so I can fit a carabiner to the same door so it's secure. Fingers crossed!

I use hasps and padlocks on most of the buildings. That keeps raccoons and even 2 legged predators out.

 

[ValarieF]

If you put amonia on rags and put it around the perimeter of the chicken area the coons think there is a bigger animal and wont come around

 

[Missyschix13]

If you put amonia on rags and put it around the perimeter of the chicken area the coons think there is a bigger animal and wont come around

This correct! If you have male doggo, using their urine works as well. I have a few acres and I only see the raccoons in the places my dog doesn't pee. Lol basically by the trashcans. But he started getting lazy and night and peeing close by the trash cans and they aren't in my trash or recycling much. It also works for foxes and the like.

 

[Karianne]

This correct! If you have male doggo, using their urine works as well. I have a few acres and I only see the raccoons in the places my dog doesn't pee. Lol basically by the trashcans. But he started getting lazy and night and peeing close by the trash cans and they aren't in my trash or recycling much. It also works for foxes and the like.

Hopefully this works! I have an un-neutered male dog that loves to pee everywhere, and he does like to pee on the outside corner of the coop also Maybe this is why I've been lucky so far! I just feel bad that I didn't leave him outside to guard my female dog who is slightly blind and doesn't have much sense. Thankfully she is about 75lbs and not "eatable" size. I'm trying to convince my husband that this is a good reason to get another dog. He doesn't seem to agree though sadly!