RIVERSIDE, Ill. — Police in west suburban Riverside issued a warning to pet owners about “zombie raccoons” in the area that have tested positive for distemper.
The animals are called “zombie raccoons” because when they have the disease, they sometimes walk on their back legs, stagger and bare their teeth.
There has been a spike in the number of confirmed cases in the Riverside area. The police chief issued a warning to pet owners after three raccoons tested positive and had to be euthanized.