A woman in Maine told authorities this week that she drowned a rabid raccoon while out for a jog.

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Rachel Borch of Hope, Maine told The Associated Press she was running in the woods near her home when she saw a raccoon charging at her with its teeth bared. Since she says she knew the animal was going to bite her, she held out her hands so it would bite her there.

After noticing a puddle in a nearby swampy area, she then ran over with the animal biting down on her thumb and held its head underwater until it drowned.

An Animal Control officer praised Borch’s composure, saying she was receiving rabies treatment in a nearby hospital.

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Members of the conversion crew take a break as the main scoreboard is lowered to the floor to be worked on as the arena gets ready for the next concert at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Atlanta. The crew was working on creating a stage for the Friday, Oct. 3 Maxwell concert. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com