Comments on: Ballard family attacked by raccoon

By: Limpwristedliberal

Limpwristedliberal — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:51:00 +0000

Humans need to stop infesting the wilderness and maybe the non-humans will stay away. They have nowhere left to go!!!!

By: butafly_31

butafly_31 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:58:01 +0000

RACCOON ARE NOT EVIL!! THAT'S WHY GOD CALLS THEM WILD ANIMALS !!IT IS NOT THE ANIMALS FAULT …WE AS HUMANS KNOW THAT RISKS OF ANY WILD ANIMAL!! SHAME ON YOU MURDER IS MURDER …..GO RACCOONS ,GO…I HAVE A FEMALE SHE IS 9-10 MONTHS OLD ..SHE IS MOSTLY SWEET BUT I ALSO REMEMBER SHE IS AN ANIMAL…..GOD CREATED ALL LIVING THINGS!!!

By: raccoonwhisperer

raccoonwhisperer — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:39:53 +0000

I had a raccoon come up to my sliding glass window today and terrorize my cats. I tried to chase it away with a broom, and eventually did. I think it finally figured out that I meant business (or it finally got bored..)

By: T-haus

T-haus — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:10:57 +0000

I'm with Keyboard Kitty. I heard the story on This American Life, one year ago, and it provided me with a whole new opinion about raccoons, which is basically that you do what you can to avoid them. You just never know what their story is, and by the time you get close enough, it may be too late. If an animal is rabid–and this species has the highest percentage of rabies in wild animals in the U.S.–it may attack you simply because you are there. It isn't normal for wild animals to approach humans (unless they are accustomed to being fed, and that's a whole separate can of worms).

Here's the story:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.a...

Perhaps the raccoon in the Ballard case wasn't rabid, but perhaps it was. It seems unlikely that the raccoon would see the dog as prey. It seems more likely that a) it was rabid or b) protecting its territory and/or its young. In a case like this, it seems really hard to comment on how one might have handled it differently. Most people would protect their pet; certainly, and most probably would have reacted quite similarly to the way the Silversteins did. I feel badly for what happened to them. The idea of contracting rabies is very frightening, and the shots/treatments are reportedly very unpleasant. The only things I can think of to help prevent things like this from reoccurring is 1) Never feed wild animals (don't give them a reason to come around), and 2) maybe there are healthy and wildlife friendly ways that people can “raccoon proof” their properties.

By: sean1115

sean1115 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:44:57 +0000

BIRITTIOS are good

By: sean1115

sean1115 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:38:49 +0000

borittios are good!
:)

By: Kelly Hachtel

Kelly Hachtel — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:58:46 +0000

someone should write a book on urban wildlife stories!

a few years ago i moved from seattle to the hollywood hills, and there are many many more wild critters here than i expected. last spring a young looking raccoon and older one busted into my building's courtyard mid-fight and yelling loudly. they kept it moving and took it into the pool. all of the residents came out of their doors and we watched in horror as the younger seemed to be losing the battle and/or drowning.

we called 911 but as soon as the dispatch found out that the violence was between non-humans, they refused to send anyone out. i finally started throwing rocks at the big guy and he ran off. little guy was ok, but had to gather his strength in a poolside lounge chair for a few hours before getting on his way. raccoon on raccoon violence is wrong too.

By: Silver

Silver — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:44:00 +0000

Cat doors.

On the one hand, they're convenient.

On the other hand, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXx4vXFESek

By: SPG

SPG — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:00:11 +0000

Been a lot of people attacks too lately…

By: bsaunders

bsaunders — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:30:01 +0000

Is the dog OK?

By: Ballardmom

Ballardmom — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:46:44 +0000

I like rats. I think they're cute. Although we seem to have a family of ROUS in our garage (Rodents of Unusual Size).

By: Ballardmom

Ballardmom — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:43:10 +0000

Or being true to passive aggressive form they just hired the raccoon.

By: Ballardmom

Ballardmom — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:34:36 +0000

If you take into account that raccoons have no natural predators in the city, it would actually be better for all involved if we had a hunting season on raccoons and put more of a balance into our urban ecosystem. Seriously. A glut of any species is damaging to nature. I imagine though that in Seattle that would not fly and PETA would have a coniption fit.

By: Ballardmom

Ballardmom — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:30:49 +0000

Yeah, my husband was wondering if the raccoon extras were union.

By: Ballardmom

Ballardmom — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:29:57 +0000

Ironically, my next door neighbor said to me today, “I'm glad you got chickens because I'm hoping it will attract the raccoons to your yard instead of my yard so they'll stop coming in my cat door to raid our food.”

I doubt anything will happen to our chickens because they are locked down in a little chicken Alcatraz to keep out the predators. If it doesn't work, that's just what happens with animals. Raccoons have to eat too.

By: Scandi

Scandi — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:46:24 +0000

“Uff da”… I just tried to feed one some Lefse and it refuse it. Maybe later I will try some Lutefisk?

I am gonna have to start shooting dogs – cause there have been alot more dog attacks than coons…

By: hilda

hilda — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:31:43 +0000

Just like any other wild animal, you should not feed raccoons. They may be cute but as written, they can harm humans and other animals without provocation. One late afternoon last year one of our dogs started digging at our deck. It was the kind of obsessive digging dogs do when they want to get a rabbit. When I looked down between the deck boards, there was a raccoon kit. You could see its' little black nose. I called some wildlife rescue places but the kit left on its' own by morning.

By: Freddie

Freddie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:05:24 +0000

If you want your kids to get bit and have to get rabies shots, or worse yet, get rabies, be my guest. Personally, I value my kids lives more than raccoons. Call me crazy. I see one of these suckers come near my kids and it'll be Ichiro time with my bat. I'll hang the pelts up for you to show you what a savage I am.

By: Freddie

Freddie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:01:39 +0000

” The day we decided that we were not animals.”

Speak for yourself, I actually like human civilization, warts and all.

By: SPG

SPG — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:41:06 +0000

yep…

By: Guest

Guest — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:24:46 +0000

Anybody who is feeding raccoons by putting out food is also feeding RATS. Yuck!

Is it legal to feed wildlife? My guess is no, but perhaps there's nothing on the books. Anyone know?

By: fred

fred — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:02:56 +0000

I feed raccoons every night on my back porch….they like cat food – but prefer little yippy dogs that bark all the time.

By: TheSeventhSign

TheSeventhSign — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:45:16 +0000

You know when the human race really “F”-ed up? The day we decided that we were not animals. And that all other creatures were below us, and so they lose, we win. Honestly I dont care about religon, Darwin or Intelligent Creation. All I know is, because we were and still are the smartest animals (by the way, any creature that destroys its host (aka the earth) is called a parasite) we dont care about any of the other creatures. Just because we build fences and grow green grass and pot plants, that means that the racoons are a pest? That they are supposed to understand that this cedar fence that I just paid a pretty penny for means “keep out”. And if they dont get the message, you trap and relocate or destroy them? Just because its a Human Neighborhood you pest animal, your not endangered and you bit a pretty little toy dog. You know whats really sad about this? Dogs are smart enough to ingratiate themselves so thoroughly with the human race that we feed them and bathe them and follow them around and pick up their poop. Its too bad other species havent learned this trick.

By: ballard fam

ballard fam — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:32:05 +0000

14th and 73rd– there is a house around there that looks sort of empty– mid-block 7300's. any chance raccoons are living in there? anyone know which house i am talking about?

By: Durr

Durr — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:31:39 +0000

No one reads the actual story, commenting on the internet is all about making bitter, sarcastic, insulting, and most importantly, idiotic statements as often and pointlessly as possible.

By: suebream

suebream — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:22:24 +0000

Komo 4 News is doing a broadcast on tonight's news about the recent raccoon attacks. Our story was on about a month ago and was on the QA View. Our Maltese lost her leg to a raccoon and most of her tail. She is lucky to be alive. I don't really care who's fault it is, it is happening a lot it sounds like and people need to be aware of this “danger” to their pets and small children and themselves. The QA News also rad a series of articles about our dog, another dog on QA who was attacked, and an article by a vet at Elliot Bay Animal Hospital. More awareness is what is needed in addition to people not leaving food out there for the raccoons, including dog or cat food. It also seems like these incidents are mostly happening at dawn or dusk. Ours happened at 5 a.m. when I get up for work.

I used to think that raccoons were cute fun animals to see, but I feel very differently now!

By: motorrad

motorrad — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:13:42 +0000

I forgot that outlanders from Alaska are different from those that come from NY, midwest, or God forbid, California. Or at least they think so. And yes, it appears the romantic notions and delusions of ballard as frontier fishing village are being tested. Dam the city folk.

By: 7samara7

7samara7 — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:58:56 +0000

When I was about 11 and babysitting three very young children in the Northgate area, about 6 large raccoons chased us up into the house where we closed the sliding glass door behind us, and then they proceeded to climb the screen door!!! We were scared. They finally went away, but they were truly after us!! About a year ago, one cornered me in my mother's backyard (same area) and it would not budge and snarled at me!! Finally it crept away as I made myself as menacing as possible!
Yes, watch your small pets and children!

By: williamcy

williamcy — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:54:23 +0000

As others have pointed out, YOU are CONTRIBUTING to the problem. Do not feed the raccoons. Those raccons you fed and petted lose fear of humans, thus will cause problems such as the article.

Also, those cats you saw are not “wild” cats. They are feral cats, descendants of domesticated cats. These cats are known to procreate 3 times a year. You feeding them will contribute to the over-population of these feral cats. Feral cats led terrible existence, scrounging around garbage and scraps, making more litters, spreading diseases, eaten by foxes & racoons, and eventually being ran over by cars.

It's ironic that you want to protect the “mother earth” and being judgemental to others, yet, are the one who is contributing to the problems. Do not feed these animals.

By: Eddie

Eddie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:49:56 +0000

Did you read the story? Didn't sound like their little dog cornered this raccoon. Maybe the family just should have watched their dog get eaten. That's what most people would do.