WEBVTT PEOPLE WERE EXPOSED COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. >> THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILI TO TAKE CARE OF WILD ANIMALS. ERIN: IT MAY SEEM LIKE COMMON SENSE LEAVING WILD ANIMALS TO THE EXPERTS. ACCORDING TO SCOTT LINDSAY, A BIOLOGIST, NOT EVERYONE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE RISKS. >> OFTEN, WELL-INTENTIONED PEOPLE WILL TRY TO TAKE AN ANIMAL INTO THEIR HOME BELIEVING THAT IT IS SICK AND INJURED AND THEY WILL TIME TO NURSE -- TRY TO NURSE IT BACK TO HEALTH, SOMETIMES REFERRING TO WEBSITES. ERIN: SOMETHING HE SAYS IS NOT ONLY DANGEROUS BUT ALSO ILLEGAL. WHICH IS WHY WHEN POLICE BECAME AWARE OF A RESIDENT KEEPING A RACCOON INSIDE THEIR HOME, A TRAINED GAME WARDEN CAME TO HELP RELEASE IT WHEN BOTH THE . HOMEOWNER AND WARDEN WERE EXPOSED TO RABIES. THESE ANIMALS ARE VERY QUICK AND THEY CAN BITE OR SCRATCH YOU VERY QUICKLY AND UNPREDICTABLY. BOTH THE WARDEN AND HOMEOWNERS -- UNPREDICTABLY. ERIN: BOTH THE WARDEN AND HOMEOWNERS NOW UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR RABIES. LINDSAY ADDING NO MATTER HOW VULNERABLE OR SEEMINGLY FRIENDLY AN ANIMAL MAY BE LIKE A RACCOON INCENTIVIZED BY FOOD, WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, OUTDOORS IS WHERE THEY BELONG. >> SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE MAKE THEMSELVES PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO PEOPLE BUT AGAIN EVEN THOUGH IT APPEAR AS THOUGHT IT MAY BE ACTING LIKE A DOMESTIC ANIMAL THEY DEFINITELY ARE NOT. ERIN: IN GRAY, ERIN DIXON,