Rabid Raccoon Bites Glassboro Man as Officials Hunt a Second Animal

An Unprovoked Attack Outside His Own Home

A South Jersey man is warning others to be cautious around wild animals after he was attacked by an apparent rabid raccoon on Sunday morning in the Elsmere section of Glassboro. The victim, Kevin Tucker, never saw it coming. He recalled hearing "an unusual screaming, screeching sound coming from the woods about 50 feet from me," and then seeing "these bright yellow eyes."

Tucker said the animal suddenly charged him as he approached his home. "I was walking to leave when a raccoon came out of the shrubbery and charged me," he said. "I kind of fell backward, and I think that's when it bit the front part of my right leg." Tucker wasn't the only one put at risk that morning. The raccoon was eventually captured, but not before it chased other neighbors in the area. Another resident told Tucker that "the eyes were glassy and saliva was coming out of its mouth."

Rabies Confirmed — and a Second Raccoon Is Still Out There

Officials later confirmed that the animal responsible for biting Tucker had tested positive for rabies, a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and is nearly always fatal in humans and animals once symptoms appear, though it is highly preventable with prompt treatment following exposure.

Authorities said the infected animal had been seen fighting with another raccoon before its capture, and efforts are now underway to locate that second raccoon. That detail is what makes this situation particularly alarming — a potentially exposed animal is still loose in the neighborhood. Following the attack, Tucker went to the hospital for evaluation and treatment. Tucker has since become an outspoken voice about the dangers of hesitating after a wildlife encounter. "You have to be aware of your surroundings," he said. "If you do get bitten or if you get scratched or your pet or whatever, go and get treatment, don't wait to have that, because rabies is fatal in humans if you don't get treatment."

What Gloucester County Health Officials Are Saying

On Wednesday, Gloucester County health officials warned people to avoid wild animals and keep their distance from stray dogs and cats, and advised pet owners to ensure that their pets have been vaccinated against rabies. They also flagged a specific, often-overlooked risk: officials warned that "high risk wildlife such as raccoons, foxes and skunks also feed in areas where outside cats are fed." In other words, something as routine as leaving food out for a neighborhood cat could draw a dangerous animal right to your doorstep.

Anyone who sees an animal that is behaving strangely or acting disoriented is advised not to handle it and to immediately call Gloucester County animal control at (856) 881-2828. Rabies spreads through contact with the saliva of infected animals, and while fewer than five people each year test positive for rabies, many more people come into contact with rabid animals.

A Reminder That Wildlife Danger Is Never Far Away

Warm-blooded mammals are all susceptible to rabies, including raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, and dogs, though most dogs in the United States are vaccinated. Bats are the most common cause of the disease in the country. Rabies symptoms mimic flu symptoms, including fatigue, weakness, fever, and headache, which can make diagnosis tricky. That overlap with common illnesses is precisely why acting fast after any wildlife contact — rather than waiting to see how you feel — is so critical.

The search for the second raccoon serves as a stark reminder that rabies threats don't end with a single capture. As long as that animal remains unaccounted for, the risk to residents, children, and pets in the Glassboro area persists. Tucker hopes that sharing his experience will encourage others to stay alert and keep their distance from wildlife. Given that this incident unfolded just steps from his front door on an ordinary Sunday morning, that's advice no one in the neighborhood is likely to ignore.