Ever had one of those days where you feel like a superstar because you got out of bed on time, dressed up, dropped the kids off at school, fit in a jog, fought off a rabid raccoon with your bare hands, and then returned home for a nutritious family dinner? No? The raccoon part is throwing you off, right? Well, that’s exactly what one woman from Maine experienced recently.
On June 2nd, 21-year-old Emily Carter went for a jog near her home in Hope, Maine, blissfully unaware of the danger that awaited her. As reported by local news outlets, “Little did she know she was about to be attacked by a rabid raccoon she would ultimately have to subdue with her bare hands.” If she had foreseen this, she might have opted for more protective clothing or at least brought along a sturdy stick—or maybe just skipped the jog entirely.
During her run, Emily encountered the raccoon, which blocked her path, showing its teeth and lunging toward her. “It was bounding at me, which is way scarier than just running,” she recalled, noting how much more terrifying it is when animals leap in a threatening manner. Realizing she couldn’t outrun the creature, Emily decided her best option was to confront it head-on.
The raccoon bit her thumb and began scratching her. In the chaos, she spotted her cellphone, which she had dropped into a puddle during the scuffle. A lightbulb moment struck: instead of continuing to struggle with the animal, she would try to drown it.
With determination, she dragged the raccoon toward the puddle and, thumb still in its mouth, pushed its head into the water. After a struggle, the raccoon finally stopped moving. “Its limbs slumped to the side,” she described, noting how slowly its chest was heaving. That’s when Emily made her escape, kicking off her soaked sneakers and sprinting back three-quarters of a mile to her home. Her mother quickly took her to the hospital, while her father collected the deceased raccoon and brought it to the Maine Center for Disease Control, where it tested positive for rabies.
Emily is currently completing a series of seven rabies vaccinations, which, as noted by local animal control officials, can be fatal if untreated. They also warned residents that where there’s one infected animal, there are often others nearby. (Maine residents, it might be wise to search for “indoor summer projects with kids” or “staycation ideas that keep you at home.”)
Reflecting on her ordeal, Emily expressed surprise at her own actions: “If the ground hadn’t been wet, I honestly don’t know what I would have done. It was pure luck. I’ve never harmed an animal before—I’m a vegetarian. It was purely self-defense.”
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Summary
A Maine woman, Emily Carter, bravely fought off a rabid raccoon while jogging, using her instincts to subdue it in a puddle. After the incident, she received rabies vaccinations and reflected on the surreal experience of having to defend herself in such a way.