There are raccoons all over Queen Anne, and usually we coexist peacefully. However, raccoon attacks can happen, and they can be vicious – and one particularly aggressive raccoon attacked a resident and her dog Thursday evening.
A few years ago we had several reports of aggressive raccoons – one attacked a woman walking her dog at 10pm, attacked a dog in a yard.
In this week’s incident, a Queen Anne resident and her dog were attacked on an evening walk around 9:45pm. She fought it off, but it bit her leg and she’s now undergoing a series of rabies vaccinations. The attack happened on 5th Ave W between Garfield and Blaine. According to the victim:
She reported the attack to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Animal Control and the City of Seattle with no response. Since this attack was uprovoked and the raccoon may strike again, this is a good heads up for the neighborhood.
Raccoon attacks can happen anywhere in the neigborhood, and most typically happen when it’s dark outside – which is right now roughly 4:30pm to 7:30am. Per this article, cats most often steer clear of raccoons, but raccoon attacks on dogs usually results in a fight.
Here are tips from the Washington Department of Wildlife:
- If a raccoon ever approaches too closely, make yourself appear larger: stand up if sitting, shout, and wave your arms. If necessary, throw stones or send the raccoon off with a dousing of water from a hose or bucket.
- If a raccoon continues to act aggressively or strangely (circling, staggering as if drunk or disoriented, or shows unnatural tameness) it may be sick or injured – call Wildlife Rehabilitators and Wildlife Rehabilitation or the WDFW Regional Office. (note, the victim above called, but no response)
- If aggressive raccoons are routinely seen in your area, prepare your children for a possible encounter. Explain what they should do if one approaches them. By shouting a set phrase such as “Go away raccoon!” when they encounter one, instead of a general scream, children will inform nearby adults of the raccoon’s presence.
- If a raccoon finds its way into your house, stay calm, close surrounding interior doors, leave the room, and let the animal find its way back out through the open door, window, or pet door. If necessary, gently use a broom to corral the raccoon outside. (Do not corner a raccoon, thereby forcing it to defend itself.)