Ohio in the grips of a zombie raccoon uprising

Raccoons are known for being cute and mischievous. They are also often used as a reference for bizarre make-up trends. But you would never think that a raccoon posed a real threat to the well-being of humans, would you?

Well, people in Youngstown, Ohio have had their worlds turned upside down by the recent erratic behaviour of raccoons in the area..

Robert Coggeshall told FOX News that he was standing outside of his house, playing with his beagles, when he spotted a raccoon nearby.

Aside from the fact that it was out during the day, which is unusual for the animal, it was also standing on its hind legs and walking unsteadily forward. Robert says the raccoon flashed its teeth and gums at him. 

Robert, sensing danger, got his dogs safely inside the house. Just then, the raccoon fell over and appeared to be in some sort of coma.

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Robert recalls how the raccoon shook itself awake, stood up on its hind legs again, and staggered forward. Robert believed the whole incident was "extremely strange".

Reactions to the raccoons range from concern about possible disease to lighthearted comments about an impending zombie apocalypse.

Police in Youngstown have received several reports of similar 'zombie raccoons' in the area.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources suspects that the animals may be suffering from distemper, a viral disease that affects skunks, raccoons, and dogs, but is not contagious to humans. Symptoms of the disease are coughing, seizures, and a dramatic decrease in the animals' fear of humans. 

The disease can be devastating to populations of raccoons. In efforts to contain the outbreak, police in Youngstown have put down all raccoons reported for erratic behaviour. 

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