Rabid racoon removed from Hyattsville streets

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - A raccoon that tested positive for rabies is off the streets of Hyattsville, thanks to a concerned caller. 

The Prince George's County Police Department says its officers were called by a resident on Feb. 13 who said they noticed a raccoon acting strangely in their neighborhood. 

The department said the location the caller said he spotted the raccoon was between a school that had just been dismissed for the day and a day care center in the 5200 block of 43 Avenue. 

Promptly responding to the report, the officers who were sent to the neighborhood managed to safely contain the raccoon in a trashcan until Prince George's County Animal Control arrived. An officer from Animal Control took the raccoon and transported it to their veterinary facility for a thorough examination.

Subsequent testing revealed that the raccoon tested positive for rabies. 

At this time, there is no information available regarding any direct contact the animal may have had with people or pets.

The department is now thanking the vigilant caller who observed the unusual behavior and reported it promptly.