Candace Bone with Boomer
A pet raccoon that was destroyed in order to test for rabies after biting a neighbor child did not have rabies, Chattanooga attorney Chris Jones.
The family has been advised it can pick up the remains of Boomer at the Chattanooga Hamilton County Health Department.
Attorney Jones, who specializes in wildlife cases, earlier argued there was no valid reason for health officials to have euthanized the pet belonging to a family in Monteagle.
Candace Bone said the family had owned "Boomer" for three years after getting her from an approved raccoon farm.
She said, "We are all devastated. He was just like a baby to us. Boomer slept between my husband and I and she would lift up her arms when she wanted to be picked up."
The boy's parents sent him to the emergency room the next day and the Health Department was then called in.
A TWRA officer came to the Bone residence and took the raccoon. Then it was euthanized under a judge's order after a lengthy hearing.
Attorney Jones said the boy nor the raccoon had shown any sign of rabies after 20 days. He said Boomer was an "inside raccoon."
Health Department officials had no comment.