Rabid raccoon?

[RECHRGD]

My little 12 pound dog needed to go outside around 4:00am this morning.  I take him out and when he's walking off the deck I saw two big eyes in my flashlight beam on the lawn.  I quickly went and picked the dog up and put him back on the deck.  Now picture this; I'm now on the lawn and I hear this kind of snarling noise.  I turn around and this raccoon is running straight at me with ill intent.  It was going for my bare ankles, but I danced out of the way and hit it with the flashlight.  It kept it up until the 3rd hit with the flashlight made him scurry off making some weird noise.  I wasn't bitten, but without the flashlight, I'm sure I would have been.  You've never seen a 62 year old man in his boxer shorts move so fast.  I don't think raccoons are naturally aggressive towards humans are they?  I'm thinking this thing had to be rabid.   Bob

[bakerhillpins]

I going to have to agree with you that its not normal behavior for a raccoon. The ones around here are not interested in any altercations with humans. You may want to call your local PD or Fish & Game division and let them know what happened.

[Silver R/T]

I going to have to agree with you that its not normal behavior for a raccoon. The ones around here are not interested in any altercations with humans. You may want to call your local PD or Fish & Game division and let them know what happened.

They'll "look into it" Local PD is not most reliable PD, don't ask me how I know

[Tilar]

I don't think raccoons are naturally aggressive towards humans are they?  I'm thinking this thing had to be rabid.   Bob

Unless she was out there with some babies which could be very possible.

[charger_fan_4ever]

those can be mean SOB's. Years ago a neighbour set up a metal bear trap as he had one snatching chickens. The trap went off and snagged its leg. It then went on to climb up a tree wiuth the freaking trap still dug in deep. The old guy shot him with a .22 and it fell to the ground snarling. The old guy wacked it with a axe handle 5 or 6 times and it was still snarling. Shot it again and it was still going. The guy was out of breath and said screw it and walked off. Ended up eventually dieing. My dad showed up when he was takin the handle to it.

I'd never mess with a racoon. Badgers little brother.

[Road Dog]

In boxer shorts? You were just ask'n for it.

[derailed]

We found a rabid fox in the rail yard last week. Came right at a guy who was between cars coupling air hoses with no place to go. Luckily it ran across his feet and kept going. Later that night we found it laying there and thought it was dead but 10 minutes later it was stumbling around. Called the Albany PD and they were there in minutes excited to shoot it.

[RECHRGD]

Well, I just watched a show on TV about catching unwanted wild animals in neighborhoods.  They said that raccoons can and will be aggressive towards humans if they or their young feel threatened.  So I guess Road Dog is right, the boxer shorts did it.  Bob

[chargergirl]

Rabies or Babies...neither way did it like the boxers...glad you and the dog are both ok!

[skip68]

Call animal control and tell them to bring out traps! Raccoons can tear a dog apart! Mrs.skip68

[Old Moparz]

Running away from a raccoon & swatting it with a flashlight in your boxers......LOL   

Good thing he didn't get your dog.

[jeryst]

Too bad you didnt get it on tape.
Woulda probably won $10k on funniest videos.

[RallyeMike]

I read that raccoons have a very high rabies infection rate. Definitely take caution around them.

On a personal story, I had a gray squirrel attack me 25 years ago and I still have a little bit of fear of the cute little buggers.

[chargergirl]

Squirrels are rats with good PR!