Not all raccoons carry rabies. Because they are nocturnal, many people mistakenly think that any raccoon you see in the daytime is rabid. This isn’t true. If you see a raccoon in the daytime, it may be hungry or looking for a new den.
Your chance of catching rabies is low. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are only 1 to 3 reported cases of human rabies in the U.S. every year.