[Judith Anne]

Agreed that the animal was likely rabid. As others have said, we were taught (and we taught ours) that ANY wild animal that allows a human approach is dangerous, likely rabid. I don't care much for any of them around the yard, which is why we keep the yard dogs. Sure, they'd probably lose the fight, but the barking usually runs them off.

A newcomer to our area (in the last 20 years or so) is the armadillo. I'd never seen one close up until one night the dogs went wild--we saw it, trying to dig under the foundation of the house. It turned at the flashlight, and gave the ugliest, most blood-curdling growling snarl...Hub shot it, put on rubber gloves, and took it "away."

Another newcomer in the past 10 years are the black bears (they're cinnamon colored, not sure exactly what their name is, but everyone around here calls them "black bears." They'll eat anything edible around the place, feed, etc., but seem more shy than coons or possums.

[mamelukesabre]

What area is this that you are in?

Black bears don't have to be black. They come in all colors... red, grey, and even white. There is even a rare color that they call blue. It is similar to the color in dogs that they call blue...as in blue merle, or blue healers(sp).