College Park warns of unconfirmed raccoon attacks near Hollywood park
College Park warned of two unconfirmed raccoon attacks near Hollywood Neighborhood Park and told families to stay clear. Rabies has not been confirmed, but the area saw three rabid raccoons in 2024.
College Park warned residents to stay away from Hollywood Neighborhood Park after reports of two unconfirmed raccoon attacks in the Hollywood area. City staff were working with Prince George’s County Animal Control, the Prince George’s County Health Department and M-NCPPC to learn more, while officials said rabies had not been confirmed in the latest incidents.
The alert went out June 21 at 1:24 p.m. and urged people to monitor children and pets, avoid the park and report any suspicious wildlife. For nearby families, the message was simple: do not assume a raccoon that looks bold, sick or aggressive is safe to approach.
The warning lands in a neighborhood already familiar with rabies scares. In May 2024, Prince George’s County Health Department said a deceased rabid raccoon was found in the Hollywood West neighborhood of College Park after being seen at multiple locations between May 6 and May 8. The Maryland Department of Health confirmed the animal tested positive for rabies on May 10, 2024.
Earlier that spring, county health officials issued another College Park raccoon alert after an animal seen March 5, 2024, in the 9100 block of 49th Place appeared very ill and weak. It was captured alive and later confirmed rabid on March 7, 2024. In a separate case, another raccoon in College Park was picked up by animal control on April 23, 2024, after appearing ill and was confirmed rabid by the Maryland Department of Health on April 25, 2024.
County guidance says rabies can spread through a bite, a scratch or contact with saliva on an open wound or mucous membrane. Once symptoms appear, rabies is a fatal viral disease that attacks the nervous system and may lead to paralysis and death. Anyone bitten was told to report it immediately to Prince George’s County Police Department and the health department.
College Park Animal Control said its officer enforces both city and county animal laws and patrols the city as needed to meet seasonal and weekly demands. The city’s response now depends on how quickly officers can locate the animals and whether more sightings follow near Hollywood Neighborhood Park.
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