SALEM - The dismembered body of a raccoon, left on the doorsteps of two psychic shops in an apparent feud among fortunetellers, has had unforeseen consequences.

The Health Department issued a rabies warning yesterday to anyone who might have handled the dead animal.

"We don't have confirmation that the raccoon was rabid, but we don't have confirmation that it is not," Health Agent Joanne Scott said. "We're acting as though it is positive."

Health officials say they will never know whether the animal had rabies because its head was so badly damaged that the brain could not be tested by a state laboratory. The state contacted the city on Saturday to report the test results were inconclusive.

"The (state) lab said it looked like someone banged the raccoon over the head with a hammer," Scott said.

Health officials are contacting police officers and firefighters who handled the raccoon remains, which were found early on May 27, near the entrances to two psychic shops - Angelica of the Angels at 7 Central St. and The Goddess' Treasure Chest at 172 Essex St. on the pedestrian mall.

"We all wore gloves," police Sgt. Rich Gagnon said. "We took precautions."

The city is also contacting the shop owners, even though the dead raccoon was discovered between midnight and 2 a.m. and cleaned up before the shops opened for the day.

Scott wants to speak to the person or people who placed the animal remains at the store entrances.

"The concern is who did it and how did they handle the raccoon," she said. "Was it one person or were there several people involved, and what is their risk? They were probably handling the raccoon pretty closely, so we want to get in touch with them even if it's anonymously."

The Health Department's effort to reach out to those responsible could be complicated by a separate investigation underway by the Police Department. The health agent said, however, that all information shared with them will be "completely confidential." If anyone is concerned about confidentiality, he or she can contact the state Department of Public Health directly, she said.

'Really disturbed'

Police opened an investigation last week after being contacted by City Councilor Joan Lovely.

"There is a crime that has taken place here, and we are looking into the matter," said police Capt. Paul Tucker, who heads the detective unit. He said it could be an animal cruelty case or a civil rights violation.

Lovely said she grew concerned because the incident took place only a few days after a City Council meeting on licensing fortunetellers. Lovely also had been told of a car window that was smashed after another meeting.

"When I read about the raccoon, I said, 'Oh, my god! Would someone really go to that level?' We have heard about dead birds on doorsteps and hexes, and now I heard about a dead raccoon," she said. "I was really disturbed."

The two shop owners targeted have taken strong public stands on the need to regulate fortunetellers and psychic fairs. There has been some discord between year-round shop owners and psychics who run fairs just during Halloween.

Barbara Szafranski, owner of Angelica of the Angels, said that disputes and intimidation have gone on for some time.

"Unfortunately, it has gotten way out of control," she said.

Christian Day, who runs a large psychic fair at Halloween and who was harshly criticized in a letter to the City Council by Sylvia Martinez, the owner of The Goddess' Treasure Chest, wrote his own letter to The Salem News last week on the raccoon incident.

"Speaking for both myself and my business," he wrote, "I condemn and repudiate strongly those who would seek to pollute the business playing field of Salem by engaging in such despicable acts. No business owner deserves this kind of treatment and I personally offer my words of support for the businesses that were affected by this in the hopes the perpetrators are brought to justice."

The City Council will take up fortuneteller licenses again on June 14.

Anyone concerned about the possible health risks from the raccoon can reach the Board of Health at 978-741-1800 or the state Department of Public Health at 617-983-6800.