(Courtesy photo)
Special thanks to animal control officer Paul Willard for efficiently and permanently dispatching a rabid raccoon from our basement. Its crime spree included killing several chickens, seriously injuring a very nice cat, and sending two people to the emergency room to get rabies shots, thus making it officially “not cute.”
My big lesson learned this week is that it is better to confine a questionable critter (keeping a safe distance!) and wait for animal control than it is to simply chase it away, where it can wreak havoc elsewhere. Also, you need a body for a rabies test. If the test had turned out negative, we could have saved people the awful treatment.
Also, keep the animal control officer’s phone number handy: 978-456-8291. When you need it, you need it quick.
Thanks again, Paul. You’re an (animal control) officer and a gentleman (farmer).
P.S. The long version of this gruesome saga can be found on my Harvard Press blog, for anyone who is interested.
Jonathan Feist
Shaker Road
