Given the recent dialogue surrounding the euthanasia of Peanut, the squirrel, and Fred, the raccoon, I thought that it would be a good time to discuss the challenges of keeping wild animals at home. .

If you're not familiar with the incident, Peanut and Fred were euthanized by New York state government officials at the end of October after they were taken into custody during a raid of the owner's home following anonymous complaints. While this is a tragedy all around, as a veterinarian I think it is important to highlight the potential risk, including euthanasia, of keeping wild animals in a domestic home.

I cannot stress enough the importance of not keeping wild animals in homes. Instead, I would encourage people to follow the proper channels, like wildlife rehab facilities or sanctuaries, if they come across a wild animal in need of assistance. These facilities are licensed, educated and trained in proper handling, disease prevention and containment of wild animals. This makes them the safest place for wildlife that is not suitable to return to the wild.

Furthermore, wildlife can and do transmit disease. The Peanut case discussed the rabies virus specifically, and while squirrels are at low risk for transmission of the virus, raccoons certainly continue to be vectors of the disease. And while rabies may not be the most frequently encountered virus, domestic animals, and therefore people, are exposed to it more often than many realize. Recently, there was a suspected cat exposure near the clinic where I work.

There are post-exposure vaccinations if you are unknowingly exposed to the rabies virus, you may not realize that you need to seek medical assistance. The moral of this story is that should you encounter a wild animal, you should make every effort to follow proper channels to ensure the best possible outcome for the creature.