What to know
- A raccoon nicknamed “Jimothy” has gone viral after videos highlighted his rare short spine syndrome.
- Toronto Public Health shared a playful social media post urging people not to approach or pet wild raccoons, citing rabies risks.
- Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
- Raccoons, along with bats, skunks and foxes, are among the most common wildlife carriers of rabies in North America.
- TPH advises people to avoid contact with wild animals, vaccinate pets and seek medical advice after any potential rabies exposure.
The Internet is obsessed with a Seattle raccoon affectionately nicknamed “Jimothy,” but Toronto Public Health (TPH) is warning residents to keep their distance.
The animal has been unofficially adopted by social media users over the past week, after a Seattle resident named Kiana Hall posted a video of the animal running across her lawn, which garnered thousands of likes and comments.
What drove Hall’s and other viewers’ attention was the raccoon’s curved spine, likely the result of a rare congenital condition called short spine syndrome.
Since its first appearance, Jimothy has been spotted several times by other residents, with multiple videos of the animal being shared online. Since its first recorded appearance, it has also made headlines across the U.S. and in Canada.
Jimothy prompts TPH warning
Although the beloved raccoon is capturing the hearts of many social media users, TPH is taking this opportunity to warn people about rabies risks.
On Wednesday, the health agency made a colourful Instagram post with a drawing representation of Jimothy advising people to send their love to the animal from afar.
“Whether they’re going viral in Seattle or roaming the streets of Toronto, raccoons are wild animals and can carry rabies,” the post says. “Please just don’t pet him.”
According to TPH, rabies is a viral fatal disease that affects the nervous system of animals and humans.
The virus is present in infected animals’ saliva and can be transmitted through bites, saliva entering through open wounds, mouth, nose, or eyes. The disease can be transmitted by wild animals, livestock, and domestic pets.
In North America, raccoons are some of the most common transmitters of rabies, along with skunks, foxes and bats.
Once clinical symptoms appear, the disease is virtually 100 per cent fatal, which makes prevention methods vital to contain it.
One of the main preservation methods is the safe interaction with animals, which include:
- Staying away from wild animals
- Keeping pets away from wild animals
- Avoiding feeding wild animals or keeping them as pets
- Wild-animal proofing homes
- Contacting health agencies if someone has been in contact with wild animals or infected pets
In addition, people are advised to regularly vaccinate their pets against rabies, avoid letting their pets run loose, safely interact with other people’s pets and ask about their immunization, and keep their distance if they look angry or scared.
People who are at high-risk of close contact with rabid animals can be recommended to take pre-exposure prophylaxis, a series of vaccinations that can help protect them from the virus.
