Are raccoons dangerous? It depends on the situation. Raccoons are intelligent, opportunistic, and fearless. Their intelligence allows them to quickly assess possible threats and determine the best course of action. Because they are opportunistic, they prefer to avoid a fight if possible. Nevertheless, if there is no other alternative, raccoons are fearless in defending themselves and their babies, if applicable. If you ever encounter a raccoon, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself and your family, including pets.

1. Avoid Cornering the Raccoon

If you come face-to-face with a raccoon, the first thing you should do is keep your distance. In the first place, this may prevent the raccoon from perceiving you as a threat, so perhaps you can avoid a confrontation altogether. In the second place, if you keep your distance, the raccoon may be able to identify an escape route to get away. Raccoons are not particularly aggressive and usually only fight when there are no other options available. If they see an escape route, they will almost always take it.

2. Run Away

What happens if you come across a raccoon and you do the sensible thing by giving the raccoon some space so it can find an escape route, and instead of running away, it comes after you instead? Do raccoons attack humans? This would be an unusual scenario, but it could happen if the raccoon is infected with rabies. The virus attacks the neurological system and it could make the animal behave erratically. Not all raccoons are infected with rabies, but they are among the animals most likely to have it.

If you have given the raccoon its space and it appears to be coming after you, the best thing to do is to run away. The maximum speed that a running human can reach is 28 miles per hour, while raccoons only run about nine to 15 miles per hour. Therefore, even if the raccoon starts running after you, which it may not do once it sees you retreating, you should be able to outrun it easily.

3. Know How To Protect Your Skin if an Encounter Is Unavoidable

There is no situation in which it is a good idea for you to approach a raccoon or attempt to handle it. Raccoon removal in Milwaukee should only be attempted by trained professionals. The only scenario in which you might need to make physical contact with a raccoon is if the animal is attacking a child or a pet. This is an emergency situation that would probably arise suddenly, without giving you time to prepare.

Nevertheless, if some unimaginable scenario in which you have to come close to a raccoon or make contact with it should ever occur, you should cover as much of your skin as possible so that even if the raccoon were to bite and scratch, its claws and teeth cannot penetrate. Long sleeves, long pants, thick boots, gloves, and a face mask or shield are all examples of protective clothing that you could use to protect your skin if you had to.

4. Stay Inside and Call Professional Raccoon Removal in Milwaukee

If you know there are one or more raccoons in your yard, avoid a confrontation completely by staying inside. Keep children and pets inside too so that they don’t behave in a way that could be threatening to the raccoon without realizing it.

Watch the raccoon from the window. Chances are that it is just passing through, but if it disappears somewhere on your property or you see it crawl inside your attic or basement, call Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. One of our specialists can assess the situation and remove the raccoon humanely, making your yard safe once more.