Cassia County Infant Attacked by Raccoon Inside Home

Infant Injured in Raccoon Attack at Cassia County Home

An infant was injured in an unusual and alarming incident in Cassia County when a raccoon entered a home and attacked the child on the evening of December 23, 2024, according to a press release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG).

The Incident

The attack occurred while the infant was in a carrier as the mother settled in after returning home. Hearing a loud noise, she discovered a raccoon attacking her child and managed to intervene by pulling the animal away. The infant was immediately taken to Cassia Regional Hospital in Burley for treatment and later transferred to a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. The extent of the injuries was not disclosed.

The father and a sheriff’s deputy returned to the home, located the raccoon still inside, and killed it. No additional raccoons were found on the premises.

Rabies Testing and Safety Measures

IDFG took possession of the raccoon’s carcass and worked with South Central Public Health District to test it for rabies. Testing by the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories confirmed the raccoon did not have rabies.

IDFG activated its Wildlife Human Attack Response Team (WHART), a specially trained team responsible for ensuring public safety, investigating incidents, and managing wildlife involved in human attacks.

Rare and Unusual Behavior

Raccoon attacks on humans are extremely rare. Though raccoons are widespread in Idaho, they are generally shy and avoid people. While raccoons can carry rabies, there has only been one documented case of raccoon rabies in Idaho.

Preventing Raccoon Incidents

To reduce the risk of encounters, residents are encouraged to secure garbage, remove food sources like fallen fruit, feed pets indoors, and seal potential entry points in homes. These preventative measures can help deter raccoons and other wildlife from becoming a nuisance.

IDFG reminds the public never to feed raccoons and to contact local wildlife authorities if they encounter aggressive or unusual raccoon behavior. For more information on living safely with wildlife in Idaho, visit Idaho Fish and Game'swebsite.