Man shoots and kills large rabid possum(CA)

Humbolt Beacon ^

[marktwain]

A caller told police he had shot a large rabid possum in his front yard and was concerned that the possum might attack his dog. He was advised on discharging a firearm in city limits.

[marktwain]

Not much to this story.

[Slings and Arrows]

“Advised?”

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Time was, you shot a rabid animal, you got a well done.

[norwaypinesavage]

"He was advised on discharging a firearm in city limits."

I should hope the advice was: "Take careful aim when you're shooting rabid animals within city limits."

[Bon mots]

"He was advised on discharging a firearm in city limits."

Perhaps it is better to capture it and release it inside City Hall or Police Headquarters?

[AUH2O Repub]

How did he know possum was rabid? Was it tested? A possum will grin at you, drool, etc. before it goes into it’s dead animal trick. There are a lot of people out there that have no idea what nature is anymore, they grew up in their safe little houses in front of the tube and never took a step in the woods. May not be the case here but I have seen it often. Every racoon seen in my exurban neighborhood is “rabid” according to the newly rurified neighbors around here. (They also complain about the loud noises, i.e. cows mooing, from the farm next door).

[BallyBill]

Slow news day?

[Quickgun]

Wouldn’t hurt a thing, the animals there are already rabid

[Sawdring]

A couple of years back we had a rabid raccoon stumbling around in our back yard. I went to get my .22 to shoot it but my wife told me no. I obeyed and she called the Sheriff. The deputy came out and observed the raccoon and asked me if I had a .22 to kill it with. I went in, got the .22 and shot the raccoon. He didn’t want to discharge his sidearm in city limits.

[Joe Boucher]

Whether rabid or not we shoot coons around here.

[DuncanWaring]

(They also complain about the loud noises, i.e. cows mooing, from the farm next door).

Any comments on the olfactory factors?

[Mister Da]

I believe I read somewhere that a possum's body temperature is too low to support the rabies virus. Rabies in a possum is rare.

[MountainDad]

I shoot the rabid neighbors

[old curmudgeon]

Veterinarians have told me that it just does not happen.

[cbkaty]

Any mammal can contract rabies....

[CholeraJoe]

I don’t know about the body temperature thing, but you are correct that rabies in possums is rare. In treating humans with wild animal bites, we are taught to assume that bites from skunks, bats, raccoons and foxes are contaminated with rabies and treat accordingly, unless the animal can be tested.

I’ll ping our resident veterinarian, Doug, for his opinion.

[AUH2O Repub]

Any comments on the olfactory factors?

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Just pasture next to the neighborhood, otherwise I'm sure I would hear about all of the "nasty" smells from that "dirty" farm. BTW, did you know that every snake is a copperhead also?

[AUH2O Repub]

Whether rabid or not we shoot coons around here.

---

And the reason is??

[DuncanWaring]

...did you know that every snake is a copperhead also?

I was unaware of that.

I'll make a note of that fact for future reference.

[sausageseller]

Whether rabid or not we shoot coons around here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And the reason is??

I had coon infestations in my attic and barn . After going through that I have no problem shooting them.