A bewildered mom happened upon her infant son being attacked by a raccoon that had snuck inside their Idaho home and successfully fended off the unlikely holiday visitor.

The mother called the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office Dec. 23 after she heard “a loud noise in the home” and discovered the raccoon attacking her baby boy, Idaho Fish and Game shared in a release.

Authorities said the mother managed to grab the furry intruder to save her son.

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The infant was taken to the Cassia Regional Hospital in Burley for undisclosed injuries before being transferred to a hospital in Salt Lake City.

According to officials, a sheriff’s deputy returned to the home with the baby’s father, located the animal and killed it. 

IDFG noted it was unclear how the raccoon got inside the home and that there were no other raccoons inside.

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The animal’s carcass has since been tested for rabies by the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, and tests were negative, the release said.

“Once notified of the incident, staff from the Magic Valley Region activated their Wildlife Human Attack Response Team,” the IDFG wrote. “This specially trained team of department staff has the responsibility to act to protect the safety of the public and incident responders; attempt to identify, locate, and control the animal(s) involved in a human-wildlife incident; and conduct, document and report investigative findings.”

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted to humans through the bite of a rabid animal. (iStock)

The agency noted that raccoon attacks on humans in the state are “extremely rare” and that there has only been one case of raccoon rabies documented in Idaho.

The IDFG instructed Idahoans to “never purposely feed a raccoon,” saying they generally avoid humans unless they feel “threatened.”

“As with all wildlife that can be found around homes in Idaho, the best course of action to avoid raccoon encounters is to take preventative actions before a problem starts,” the department wrote. “Raccoons can live in a variety of habitats, but an area with access to water and food will attract them.

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“A homeowner can limit food sources by securing residential garbage, removing any fallen fruit or rotten produce from your yard or garden, feeding pets indoors, keeping pet food securely stored, and removing or securing bird feeders,” IDFG added. “Blocking raccoon access to hiding places in sheds and outbuildings and sealing off potential entryways and exits in and around a home will also discourage raccoon use.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the IDFG for comment.

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Transportation Department reports that a plow strike occurred in North Idaho this morning, marking the region’s first winter season.

According to a release, the drivers were left unharmed. However, both vehicles sustained significant damage.

All the snow and mixed precipitation in recent weeks has Idaho Transportation Department crews working hard to make our roads safe. They would like to use this particular incident to remind Idaho drivers to take it slow in icy or slippery conditions.

An Idaho mother rescued her infant son from a raccoon attack inside of their home before the baby’s father and a sheriff’s deputy killed the animal.

On Monday, Dec. 23, officers from the Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call involving a mother who heard “a loud noise in the home” and discovered a raccoon attacking her baby boy, Idaho Fish and Game shared in a release on Dec. 27.

The unnamed mom grabbed the animal to stop the attack, and her son was transported to the Cassia Regional Hospital in Burley for “undisclosed injuries” before being transferred to a hospital in Salt Lake City.

According to officials, a a sheriff’s deputy returned to the home with the baby’s father, located the animal and they killed it. IDFG noted that it is unclear how the raccoon gained access to the home. No other raccoons were found inside and the department is “confident’ that the animal killed was the same one that attacked the baby.

The animal’s carcass has since been tested for rabies by the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories with tests coming back negative.

“Once notified of the incident, staff from the Magic Valley Region activated their Wildlife Human Attack Response Team,” the IDFG wrote in the release. “This specially trained team of department staff has the responsibility to act to protect the safety of the public and incident responders; attempt to identify, locate, and control the animal(s) involved in a human-wildlife incident; and conduct, document and report investigative findings.”

Per the IDFG, reports of raccoon attacks on humans in the state are “extremely rare” and “only one case of raccoon rabies” has been documented in Idaho. They are “generally shy,” mostly avoid humans and can become aggressive if feeling “threatened.”

The IDFG encouraged Idahoans to “never purposely feed a raccoon.”

“As with all wildlife that can be found around homes in Idaho, the best course of action to avoid raccoon encounters is to take preventative actions before a problem starts,” the department wrote. “Raccoons can live in a variety of habitats, but an area with access to water and food will attract them.”

“A homeowner can limit food sources by securing residential garbage, removing any fallen fruit or rotten produce from your yard or garden, feeding pets indoors, keeping pet food securely stored, and removing or securing bird feeders,” IDFG added. “Blocking raccoon access to hiding places in sheds and outbuildings and sealing off potential entryways and exits in and around a home will also discourage raccoon use.”

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The raccoon attack comes several months after another raccoon apparently attacked people waiting in line for a ride at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania. On April 3, TMZ shared footage of guests waiting to board the SooperDooperLooper days earlier at the theme park as they attempted to avoid the animal.

The person recording the clip could be heard off-camera saying that the raccoon ran off with a girl’s shoe, with two guests reportedly bitten. In a statement to CBS 21, park officials said the animal encounter was not a common occurrence and that they had “extensive fencing to help prevent this type of incident from occurring.”

“Guest safety is and will always be our top priority at Hersheypark. As such, we have a full complement of public safety and health professionals on property who responded quickly to render necessary care to the two people impacted,” the officials added.

Biologist Tom Keller, who works for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, told the outlet that officials at the park handled the situation correctly and that the animal appeared to be “really frightened” and felt “trapped” around the “screaming humans.”