Raccoon attacks girl, 6, as she plays with friends

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?g7699_BC_MI--RaccoonAttack&&news&newsflash-michigan ^

[Dan from Michigan]

Raccoon attacks girl, 6, as she plays with friends

The Associated Press
6/10/02 5:40 PM

GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- A raccoon attacked a 6-year-old girl in front of several friends, biting her 10 times after jumping on her back.

Samantha Ortiz of Georgetown Township, which is near Jenison in eastern Ottawa County, was walking on a bicycle trail with five friends about 6:30 p.m. Friday when she looked back and saw the raccoon.

She said she moved to the side of the trail to let the animal pass, but it jumped on her back and started biting.

"I put my hand down and it was biting me. It was growling like a dog and biting me all over," Samantha told The Grand Rapids Press for a story Monday. "Maybe he smelled chicken 'cause I didn't wash my hands after I ate."

Samantha said she was scared because her friends ran away when the raccoon attacked.

"I didn't know if it was going to kill me," she said.

When the animal tried to bite her toes, the girl said she put one of her friend's bikes on top of the raccoon and ran home.

Her mother, Dee Cardero, said she was hysterical when she heard Samantha screaming.

"I ran and opened the front door and saw blood all over her," Cardero said.

Samantha had bites on her hands, arms and legs. She was treated at Spectrum Health Butterworth hospital, where she received rabies shots in the area of each bite.

The series of shots will continue for a month, her parents said.

[Dan from Michigan]

These bandit faces may be 'cute' but they are some of the meanest animals out there and frequently are rabid. My parents have coons living under their deck. I'll be passing this article on to them.

I wouldn't wish rabies shots on anyone.

[Dan from Michigan]

Ottawa County Ping

[Commander8]

Raccoons are not cute and cuddly, they are furry Freddie Kreugers. The only thing they are useful for is headwear.

[Snuffington]

Raccoons may be mean, but not FREAKY mean. This one sounds rabid. I hope the little girl turns out ok. Sounds like she kept her composure really well.

[Dan from Michigan]

I may need to get me a .22.......

[lsee]

There's a puppet shop in my local mall that has one "puppet" which is a shiny silver trash can. Inside the can is a raccoon that you can make pop in and out...I told my kids "that's about all raccoons are about". I'm sure they serve a purpose in God's wilderness, but not around people. I don't find them cute...they are ravenous, clever garbage raiders! Poor child to have to get all those shots...the critter probably DID have rabies. Too bad they haven't yet developed a simple blood test to check humans for exposure, since the raccoon got away.

[Turtleman]

So someone might say."A racoon once bit my sister."

[woofie]

I had raccoons as pets ...they are far from mean ...a little testy at times maybe...I agree this one was sick

[Henchster]

Definitely a rabid one.

I've had several encounters with coons, and unless you corner them or try to pet/touch them, they'll simply slink away, looking over their shoulder at you the whole way.

I once ran outside to throw out the trash at night and surprised a HUGE one (30-36 inches long, PLUS tail) in the open-air shed where we keep the cans. He was cornered, and I knew that was bad, but he froze, and I backed out of there slowly, and he climbed the gate on the other side and took off.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Weird. I guess they never really found out whether the racoon was rabid or not. It sounds like they're not taking any chances, I wouldn't either.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

No doubt, this one had to be sick and probably rabid.

[Kryptonite]

A coon walked right up to our patio door on Wednesday at about 9:00 am, and looked into our family room. Then, he ran under our deck. Saturday morning, my boy was on the deck and the little bastard hissed at him from below.

I'm taking that coon out asap!

[Henrietta]

Time to outlaw raccoons!

[Howie]

I had several of them on my roof one night, ripping off the shingles to get in the attic. I went out and tried to throw rocks at them and scare them off.

The largest one ran down and threatened to jump down on me, I went inside and came back with a .22 and plugged him.

He screamed like a dying woman for about 15 minutes, all neighbor's lights came on, (I live in town) cops were called, searched the neighborhood with spotlights, I stayed hid 'til daylight, buried coon in flower planter.

Close call!

[Henrietta]

Try Colibri .22 ammo. It's super quiet so as not to alarm the neighbors. Has primer only; very low power so as not to kill the neighbors.

[pubmom]

Take care of it. We live in a residential wooded area, and we had a racoon 2 years ago that was hissing at children on their way to school. Animal control took care of the little darling right away.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Lock 'n' load!

[eggman]

Raccoons aren't mean the're just pests. The one that attacked the girl was not normal. The're fairly docile unless hungry or sick. They are omnivores and will eat just about anything but won't normally go after anything bigger than themselves.

They do love chicken and if I catch any around my chicken coop, the're buzzard food.

[DoughtyOne]

[UnsinkableMollyBrown]

My sister and her husband walk every night along a trail at the base of the mountain. It is close to town and a frequently used path. One night on their way up, they were surprised by a 'coon that jumped out of the bushes. They hurried on past, but worried because they had to pass that way again to return home.

After reaching the turn-around point, they started back toward home. It was past dusk and they could just make out the trail ahead. As they approached the area where they had seen the racoon, they watched carefully to avoid the animal. All of the sudden they heard some bushes move behind them, then scurrying feet. They were a little concerned about this unseen nemesis, and quickened their pace. To no avail. They could tell that the animal was coming up quickly, though they couldn't see it in the darkness. Both of them broke into a run, with the coon close behind. They came out onto the road, and scurried home, breathless and relieved that they had got away from that terrible, stalking coon.