How worried should we be about raccoons in our neighbourhood?
“Very!” according to resident Louise Kligman.
Last month she and her husband, Evan, were taking the short walk home from the Marine Mews parking garage with their small 10 year old dog, Brie, on leash. It was dark and the area poorly lit.
Suddenly, three raccoons appeared and frightened the dog who raced for the cover of nearby bushes, shedding her halter as she went. Then the attack began.
And it was loud. Snarling and growling, the raccoons went for the 11 pound Brie, who howled in fear and pain as a vicious attack continued unabated.
Louise and Evan rushed to save their dog, a Humane Society rescue pet they’d had for 7 years. Evan sustained injuries, as did Louise, with a deep wound on her leg from at least one animal bite. The accelerating noise over many more minutes convinced several neighbours to intervene. One man carried – and may have used – a long stick because, he later said, he’d battled raccoons before.
Finally, the animals retreated into the night and the somewhat shaken Kligmans were able to retrieve their obviously injured dog. Neighbours had already mapped directions to the nearest veterinary, one of whom volunteered to drive, first Brie to the vet and then the couple to VGH for tetanus shots.
No-one knew if the dog would survive. But after two nights in the veterinary that Louise later described as “wonderful care’, Brie came home with 4 broken ribs, a face fracture and miscellaneous cuts and bruises.
Marine Mews, opposite Spruce Harbour Marina just west of the school, has experienced raccoons in the past but never an attack like this. Its strata council contacted pest control immediately and issued cautionary warnings to residents.
Cautionary warnings for us all.