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Arlington residents concerned raccoon problem could lead to bigger issues

Neighbors in Arlington say they're afraid a serious raccoon problem could lead to bigger issues. They say several raccoons have started foaming at the mouth and died in people’s yards.

Terri Ryder of Charter Point fears the raccoons are dying from distemper, which can also be fatal for dogs.

She's worried about her two canines, including her brand-new puppy, Lucy. “There’s been probably 10 that I know of in the neighborhood,” Ryder said.  “It's scary because I don't want to let the dogs out.”

Several neighbors have posted concerns on apps like Nextdoor, wondering what to do and how to dispose of the carcasses.

“We called animal control, and they referred us to a private company that'll come trap them and dispose of them for like $289 [each],” Ryder said.

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The city of Jacksonville said it had no record of distemper complaints but that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or licensed trappers typically handle raccoons.

The Duval County Department of Health said it didn't have any current distemper alerts, so Action News Jax reported it to them to put it on their radar.

We also brought in local veterinarian Dr. Rebecca Williams. “My biggest concern is that if it is distemper, just make sure that your pets are both current on rabies and distemper as well,” Williams said.  “As long as they're vaccinated, they should have a good immunity to both viruses and they should be protected.”

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Neighbors just want this problem in the past.

“I felt so sorry for them. You don't want to see any animal suffer. It was horrible. It was just horrible to watch,” Ryder said.