Police Notified Of "Zombie-Like" Raccoons In Ohio

The zombie apocalypse might be off to a strange start in Youngstown, Ohio.

Youngstown police have reportedly received more than a dozen calls in the past three weeks about raccoons which are showing "zombie-like" characteristics in the Ohio town. Photographer Robert Coggeshall is among the town's residents to encounter the strangely acting creatures, with his zombie-raccoon approaching him and his dogs near his home in the daytime.

"He would stand up on his hind legs, which I've never seen a raccoon do before, and he would show his teeth and then he would fall over backward and go into almost a comatose condition," Coggeshall said, WKBN-TV reported. Coggeshall quickly put his dogs inside before his full encounter with the creature.

The raccoon Coggeshall and 14 others have reported were all euthenized.

"The state's Department of Natural Resources said the animals were likely suffering from distemper, not rabies," CBS reports. "The viral disease causes coughing, tremors and seizures and leads raccoons to lose their fear of humans." The only thing missing from the description is the notion of the raccoons having died and come back to life like walkers in The Walking Dead!

It's not exactly how The Walking Dead's apocalypse began but police in the area are urging locals to report any strange raccoons immediately. It's the only way to prevent the infection from spreading and eventually causing the fall of all of humanity, a scenario in which people like the Governor and Negan rise to power!

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. Fear the Walking Dead will debut its fourth season after The Walking Dead concludes its eighth, at 10 pm ET on April 15. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.