Posted on 08/22/2006 8:00:03 AM PDT by presidio9
A fierce group of raccoons has killed 10 cats, attacked a small dog and bitten at least one pet owner who had to get rabies shots, residents of Olympia say.
Some have taken to carrying pepper spray to ward off the masked marauders and the woman who was bitten now carries an iron pipe when she goes outside at night.
"It's a new breed," said Tamara Keeton, who with Kari Hall started a raccoon watch after an emotional neighborhood meeting drew 40 people. "They're urban raccoons, and they're not afraid."
Tony Benjamins, whose family lost two cats, said he got a big dog — a German Shepherd-Rottweiler mix — to keep the raccoons away.
One goal of the patrol is to get residents to stop feeding raccoons and to keep pets and pet food indoors.
Lisann Rolle said she began carrying an iron pipe when she goes outside at night after being bitten by raccoons when she tried to pull three of them off her cat Lucy. She obtained rabies shots afterward as a precaution.
"I was watching her like a hawk, but she snuck out," Rolle said. "Then I heard this hideous sound — a coyote-type high pitch ... It was vicious. They were focused on ripping her apart."
The attacks have been especially shocking because raccoons came within five feet (1 1/2 meters) of cats without any problem in previous years, Benjamins said.
"We used to love the raccoons. They'd have their babies this time of year, and they were so cute. Even though we lived in the city, it was neat to have wildlife around," he said, "but this year, things changed. They went nuts."
In one case five raccoons tried to carry off a small dog, which managed to survive.
The attacks, all within a three-block area near the Garfield Nature Trail in Olympia, are highly unusual, said Sean O. Carrell, a problem wildlife coordinator with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, adding that trappers may be summoned from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to remove problem animals.
"I've never heard a report of 10 cats being killed. It's something were going to have to monitor," Carrell said.
Meanwhile, residents have hired Tom Brown, a nuisance wildlife control operator from Rochester, Washington, to set traps, but in six weeks he has caught only one raccoon. He and Carrell said raccoons teach their young — and each other — to avoid traps.
Brown said he had seen packs of raccoons this big but none so into killing.
"They are in command up there," he said.
They're tasty when cooked on the grill, too.
Also, there's a certain bone that makes a nice toothpick.
I can picture them with wearing old sweatshirts and smoking cigars. LOL
Cigars? I think it would be joints before cigars...
And that's what they'll find waiting for them here, should they decide to migrate a bit north. Cause it doesn't sound like even our huge rooster could take on these raccoons.
Whats Bill Clinton got to do with this???
I killed two with one shot each from a .44 special, but that was the very definition of overkill, esp. since I was about 5 feet away. In retrospect the .38 would have done just fine. (Finally, the perfect use for the 9mm round!)
Finally, a well-written headline!
Hey! That sounds great to me. When's dinner? I'm hungery! ;)
I was once attacked by a pack of about a dozen large ones in Bend, Oregon many years back. One of the strangest things ever, to see a pack of those bastards walking up to me at night, and disconcerting as hell. Fortunately, there was a makeshift critter club available which I picked up when I saw them approaching me in such a strange manner. A couple solid hits in 'coon baseball when a few decided to rush in adjusted their attitude and interest. Any sympathy I may have had at one time evaporated at that moment. I've heard that this has happened to other people on rare occasion, so I have to wonder what would have happened if I had not thrashed them.
My solution to our raccoon problems?
A Maine Coon Cat.
Not the friendliest cat I've ever owned, but by far the biggest and baddest.
At night, when I hear the ungodly cries of Raccoons being attacked by my cat I feel pride.
For those who don't know, Maine Coon Cats are the descendents of the early colonists cats that had to fend for themselves in the first harsh winters in America.
Only the strongest and toughest of these cats survived - it literally was survival of the fittest.
My husband likes raccoons and I have always said they can be dangerous. We don't have as many at our new house, but at the other house, they killed the neighbor's dog and it was a big dog.
There is a much better version of this story in the local Olympia paper here:
http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060821/NEWS/608210327
Here's my favorite part:
The problem got so bad that residents Kari Hall and Tamara Keeton even started a Raccoon Watch after having an emotional neighborhood meeting attended by about 40 people.
"It was a place for people to mourn and cry," Hall said.
This is not the way a similar situation would be handled down south, I guarantee. And be sure to read the comments on the article. Too funny!
Only liberals would allow a small mammal to take their place at the top of the food chain....
(One raccoon to another: "These humans are pu$$ies! We can totally take them on!)
Hey, Jack, I need an assassin, but I don't want to disturb the neighbors. Any suggestions? (LOL)
I hope you know I was talking about shooting raccoons. lol Can't really shoot them in an urban area even if it is legal.
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