Raccoon attack: 'Three times he went to my face'
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EUGENE, Ore - Mary Ellen York has seen raccoons on her apartment deck and around her home before.
About eight days ago, York and her dog, Tosha went outside as they always do before bed, when they got an unexpected visitor.
It was about 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 1 when York and her dog were attacked by a raccoon.
"I just started screaming. And she did too. Help me, help me," said York. "The raccoon attacked her right away and it was on the gravel. Right away I grabbed her leash and got her away and right when I did that the raccoon came at me."
York says she fell to the ground when the raccoon bit her in the back of the knee. It then got on top of the dog.
"I grabbed the back of his hind leg. I remember twisting them. I grabbed her and was holding on to her for dear life and he kept attacking me. Three times he went to my face," said York.
She's disabled and struggled to get up. York finally got away with Tosha and called 911.
York received stitches above her eye, on her forehead and on her hand.
"Just wanted to save my dog," York said with tears in her eyes.
"You don't want to intervene and save your pet because it's a 100 percent chance you will get bit and get bit bad," said Lane County Animal Services Officer, Bernard Perkins.
Perkins warns people that raccoons can be very dangerous when they feel threatened or cornered.
"If you see a raccoon you want to turn and walk the other way," added Perkins.
There are some things you can do to keep raccoons away from your home. Perkins suggests not leaving pet food outside at night. Make sure trash cans are tightly sealed and cover up openings under porches and crawl spaces.
IF YOU ARE BIT: Lane County Public Health suggests anyone bit by a wild animal contact them
Not one of her neighbors came to her aid or called 911! No one wanted to get involved, they just looked out of their window, watching and did nothing. I don't know how you people that leave catfood outside for stray cats can sleep at night knowing this happened, and you still refuse pick up the food left out. These animals, when they find food, will keep coming back for more. I'm sure the raccoon was only defending himself from what he thought was a threat to the food he found. The humans that "lure" the wild animals with free food are to blame for this poor woman and her sweet little dog's attack. Shame, shame, shame on you!!
Virtually every creature can be "tamed." Bears, deer, racoons, what have you...still doesn't mean they won't act like typical wild animals if and when they feel the need.  Anyone who allows the neighborhood racoons to hang around their domesticated pets is taking a huge risk with their personal health and safety. I sincerely hope that the gal in this story is able to heal and recover, both physically and emotionally. We live on the edge of town with fields bordering our home property and racoons come up almost nightly to see if we've forgotten to remove cat food and such from our porch. We also dump out water containers at night as racoons love to "wash" whatever they've found. You'll know if racoons have been in your pets water come morning as the container will be filthy and you're forced to clean it out - wash your hands up to your armpits folks! The racoons do indeed harbor a wide variety of evil bacteriums.
I have seen raccoons become very vicious with dogs. Some neighbors left dog food out in their basement and forgot to close the door. The raccoons got in and attacked the dogs and the people when they tried to protect the dogs. I think since they come out at night most of the time people forget about them.Â
I remember when a raccoon pelt was $35, you could supplement your income trapping, now it is not worth the gas to trap, had to kill 10 this last year in the chicken coop, down to one chicken, not replacing them, the raccoons have won.
Mary I am vary sorry about what has happened to you. And I wish to notify anyone who is reading this that it was likely just a normal everyday coon. Like all wild animals if it felt trapped or threatened it will fight for it's life. Wild animals especially coons and skunks can be carriers of rabies. Even a tiny squirrel if it feels threatened will bite and claw you.  Leave them alone or be prepared to defend yourself. For a coon or any small animal each day is filled with life and death situations. These small animals will do what ever is possible for them to do to remain free. They may even chew a leg off to be free of a animal trap.  I recommend a small bore shotgun around populous areas, but a fireplace poker, a hammer, or some other tool to use would be advisable rather than grabbing hold of a wild coons leg.  Â
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 @Shaquille Kittles THUMBS DOWN
This is scary. IThis is the second episode I have heard of this summer.  Speaking of raccoons, it is really time for our community to learn about the awful disease carried via raccoon feces. It is supposedly very rare, but yet, I know of a teenager in Novato, CA who is infected, as well as a young man in Vancouver, WA.   Research the raccoon roundworm- Baylisascaris procyonis- and get educated.Â
 @Sunshine thanks for pointing that out. An episode of "House" dealt with the challenges of diagnosing the disease. Since dinner is over, the worms end up in the brain and start exiting the eyeball. Time for dessert.
Almost all wild animals are not predictable. They function on instinct and will usually attack if they perceive themselves as being cornered or in danger. Usually if they don't feel cornered and can see an avenue of escape, most will do just that. I have been around wild animals off and on most of my life, and the best policy is to leave them alone, and chances are they will leave you alone.
They are all vicious is bull
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i have pet wild racoons that are wild animals but lay with my cats everyday and allow me to pet them and  feed them by hand
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the racoon was most likely protecting it babiesÂ
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your dog likely wandered up on thisÂ
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i know a racoon that nest  on 7th next to the gas station and its friendly as can be i have fed it by hands many timesÂ
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if you truly believed in god you would not make the statementÂ
"They are all vicious.â
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do you feel that way  about all pitbulls or humans?
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 @Brian Cravens Both species (humans and pit bulls) are vicious and should be put down without remorse.
@Shaquille Kittles @Brian Cravens I disagree, only humans that own pitbulls should be put down without remorse
 @Brian Cravens Geez, be nice, this poor woman is traumatized. Certainly they ALL have the potential to be vicious.Â
@Brian Cravens Same thing happend to my dog and it was a bad fight that my dog received some very bad bits that required medical attention. I stayed out of the fight and so didn't end up bit. There was no babies anywhere or food just a angry raccoon. Hope you keep believing in god so you don't get bit someday. I have traps and god is helping me catch them.
Them city racoons are nasty, glad you saved your dog and came out alive=) you know the city racoons are employed
by Kitty Percy she has them attack the people of Eugene, If we get rid of her the racoons will leave..LOL=)))
@IAMHIGH You are not suggesting that we build late night recreation areas so the raccoons have some means of distracting themselves without biting the general public are you?Â
@Fancy Jack Yeah we can build them homeless camps & feed them, let them camp out in
peoples front yards and destroy public property. hell yeah lets do it jack .
***Please note sarcasm and don't give kitty percy any ideas ok=))