79
COURTESY: HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
State agriculture officials spent New YearÕs Eve capturing a live raccoon that had stowed away onboard a cargo ship from Long Beach, Calif.
A raccoon that stowed away aboard a cargo ship from California has tested negative for rabies.
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture announced the results Friday.
Personnel from the shipping company Matson called the department earlier this week after seeing the animal scampering on the ship’s deck in Honolulu.
Hawaii is the only rabies-free state, and raccoons are seen as a threat because they could introduce rabies here.
A department spokeswoman said the animal had to be euthanized in order to conduct the rabies test.
