A late-night trip to let her dogs out turned terrifying for a Massachusetts woman who was viciously attacked by a raccoon outside her home.
Katherine Vanbuskirk said the incident happened around 1 a.m. on Saturday, July 26, when the animal lunged at her without warning. “It flew at me from several different directions,” she recalled in an interview with FOX affiliate WXIX. The raccoon clawed at her face and arms and bit her hands and legs during the struggle.
Vanbuskirk managed to escape and shut the deck door behind her before calling 911. “I was screaming, ‘Help me, help me,’” she said.
She was taken to a local hospital, where she received rabies shots and antibiotics. “This is horrible. This is a nightmare,” she added. “I just encountered a monster.”
The terrifying experience was made worse when Vanbuskirk realized she couldn’t find her dog before being rushed to the hospital. Fortunately, the pet was located later that morning.
Recovering from recent shoulder surgery, Vanbuskirk had only one usable arm during the attack. She believes the raccoon may have been drawn to her property by a compost bin, which she has since relocated away from her yard.
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Despite the violent encounter, she holds no ill will toward raccoons. “I just want other people to be careful,” she told NBC affiliate WBTS. “I’m never going to blame the raccoon.”
Wildlife experts say raccoons typically avoid humans but can become aggressive if they feel threatened or are ill. Organizations like Critter Control advise people to steer clear of wild raccoons, which can carry diseases such as rabies, leptospirosis, and roundworm.
