Psycho killer raccoons terrorize Olympia
Pastor Dale Morgan
Psycho killer raccoons terrorize Olympia*
Posted 8/23/2006 5:48 PM ET
OLYMPIA, Washington (AP) — A fierce group of raccoons has killed 10
cats, attacked a small dog and bitten at least one pet owner who had to
get rabies shots, residents of Olympia say.
Some have taken to carrying pepper spray to ward off the masked
marauders and the woman who was bitten now carries an iron pipe when she
goes outside at night.
"It's a new breed," said Tamara Keeton, who with Kari Hall started a
raccoon watch after an emotional neighborhood meeting drew 40 people.
"They're urban raccoons, and they're not afraid."
Tony Benjamins, whose family lost two cats, said he got a big dog — a
German Shepherd-Rottweiler mix — to keep the raccoons away.
One goal of the patrol is to get residents to stop feeding raccoons and
to keep pets and pet food indoors.
Lisann Rolle said she began carrying an iron pipe when she goes outside
at night after being bitten by raccoons when she tried to pull three of
them off her cat Lucy. She obtained rabies shots afterward as a precaution.
"I was watching her like a hawk, but she snuck out," Rolle said. "Then I
heard this hideous sound — a coyote-type high pitch ... It was vicious.
They were focused on ripping her apart."
The attacks have been especially shocking because raccoons came within
five feet of cats without any problem in previous years, Benjamins said.
"We used to love the raccoons. They'd have their babies this time of
year, and they were so cute. Even though we lived in the city, it was
neat to have wildlife around," he said, "but this year, things changed.
They went nuts."
In one case five raccoons tried to carry off a small dog, which managed
to survive.
The attacks, all within a three-block area near the Garfield Nature
Trail in Olympia, are highly unusual, said Sean O. Carrell, a problem
wildlife coordinator with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife,
adding that trappers may be summoned from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture to remove problem animals.
"I've never heard a report of 10 cats being killed. It's something were
going to have to monitor," Carrell said.
Meanwhile, residents have hired Tom Brown, a nuisance wildlife control
operator from Rochester, Washington, to set traps, but in six weeks he
has caught only one raccoon. He and Carrell said raccoons teach their
young — and each other — to avoid traps.
Brown said he had seen packs of raccoons this big but none so into killing.
"They are in command up there," he said.