Raccoons attack dog during night walk

An official urged using caution, especially near trash and wooded areas.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- Officials say a raccoon attack on a dog may be an unusual occurrence, but pet owners can still take steps to avoid a similar situation.
An Elruth Court man called police just before 11 p.m. Wednesday and said his dog had been attacked by three raccoons. According to police reports, the man said he had been walking the dog near his home when the three animals attacked.
The man, police reports say, tried beating the raccoons off the dog with sticks, but that didn't work. The man told police he eventually was forced to retrieve a handgun from his home and fire several shots into the ground in an attempt to scare the animals.
The shots from the gun worked -- scaring the raccoons long enough for the man to retrieve his dog. The dog, reports said, survived the attack but suffered several wounds and needed veterinary attention.
Barbara Busko, president of the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County, said such a situation is very rare.
"We have been doing this for 20 years, and this is the first time we have heard of raccoons attacking a dog without provocation," she said.
Busko said the raccoons would be more likely to attack if they had been rabid, but, she said, the agency has not seen any rabid raccoons in years. She said being startled could have also caused the animals to attack the dog.
Simple tips
Busko said night walks are often shared by many wild creatures who are naturally active at night, especially in places bordered by wooded areas. She said extra caution must be taken by pet owners walking their animals under such conditions.
"There are very resourceful creatures out there, and with us destroying so much of their habitat, they have become resourceful at living in our world," she said. "When you get to a point where you have destroyed this much of their habitat, we will see these things, but there are common-sense measures we can use."
Busko said pet owners should try not to walk pets in wooded areas or areas bordered by woods at night. She said those out walking pets should stay on well-lighted sidewalks and, if at all possible, avoid areas with trash receptacles. Many animals, she said, will feed in such areas at night.
jgoodwin@vindy.com