Squirrel Attacks Residents Of Vermont Neighborhood

BENNINGTON, Vt. -- A Vermont neighborhood is being stalked by a renegade gray squirrel.

Several people in Bennington say they've been attacked by a squirrel over the last few weeks.

Kevin McDonald tells the Bennington Banner he was shoveling snow when the squirrel jumped onto him. He says he threw the animal off, but it twice jumped back onto him. A game warden says there have been other reports, too.

One woman is being treated for exposure to rabies, but Vermont Public Health Veterinarian Robert Johnson says there's never been a case of a squirrel passing rabies to a human.

Johnson says it's possible the squirrel was raised as a pet and lost its fear of humans. He says the squirrel might "go ballistic" when it encounters people it doesn't recognize.

Comments

[Amber Anderson]

06:20 AM on 03/22/2011

at night i hear strange noises in my kitchen coming from the cupboard, sounds like glasses clatterng and somethings trying to come eat me.. i feared the worst... gremlins. cupboard gremlins or some kind of gnome... i investigate and theres nothing there just a hole in the wal upon some investigating ive decided li have a squirrel that lives in my house ... it's not suppose to be here. its a stoe away... a vagabond. but not a thief or at least nothing i notice maybe hes raiding the knife drawer to start some kind of squirrel vs bird war i hear they do that maybe hes hiding from boris and natasha.. i did some house watching i camped ot in my yard he climbs up a tree thats a good 20 feet from the house itself runs onto thin twig like branches onto the roof and disapears to be seen several hours later on the roof ...

[Amber Anderson]

06:22 AM on 03/22/2011

im gunna get some locks for the doors... on account of this so he doesnt attack me

[FloatCharge]

11:57 AM on 03/20/2011

He got into the squirrel nut zipper.

[rocker8012]

04:36 AM on 03/20/2011

I know they sure like to attack the wiring in my car...

[e-mail]

[Blarg]

02:44 PM on 03/19/2011

Maybe he's trying to start a protection racket?

[happylonersarah]

12:32 AM on 03/19/2011

Nature is starting the payback ... You go little guy

[waltzacrosstexas]

11:40 PM on 03/18/2011

In rhe morning I will go out on the back porch and watch the sun rise... sometimes I wake up the squirrels... and when I do... they "throw" pecans at me!! No joke!

[No stinking fans]

01:59 PM on 03/20/2011

Do you feel like your'e going nuts?

[glassbender]

02:38 PM on 03/18/2011

Down here in the Great clown state of texas, i've got a squirrel that goes after cats, so my dog goes after the cats,that jumped up a tree,that chased the squirrel, that attacked the cat, and the squirrel just laugh's at the cat, as squirrel does 'it's' high wire act, all you hear is,barking,meowing, and clicking,come to think of it,sounds just like a teebagger townhall meeting ...........

[joemac1114]

07:05 PM on 03/19/2011

Had to fan you for that explanation of a teebagger townhall meeting.

[Tresco]

01:17 PM on 03/18/2011

I have a feeder for the squirrels at my place and I feed them this special food made for them. It's called Wilco. They love it! I get it at the my local feed store. The big box pet stores don't seem to carry it for some reason.

[CajunSpectre]

02:04 AM on 03/20/2011

They are crafty little creatures.I watch one last summer that would regularly work its way from my roof to the hummingbird feeder, swing on it to make the sweet liquid spill and then lap up the liquid with its tongue. They also liked to raid my garden when the tomatoes start to ripen and ruin quite a few by chewing on them.

[realitycheckers]

11:05 PM on 03/17/2011

And why is the US military abroad when the real threat is here at home?

[TigersEye]

01:22 AM on 03/18/2011

LOL

[Tulka2]

09:29 PM on 03/17/2011

We accepted an adult great horned owl at the raptor rescue center where i once worked.  She was raised from an owlet by an old man with glasses.  When he let her go, she took up residence in the trees along the edge of a golf course.  Good enough.... but she then took to trying to land on the head of any old man with glasses who was trying to play golf.  They didn't understand.  She came to us and we used her as an educational tool at schools and camps to teach children why they ought to leave wildlife alone.   She had a giant cage and we allowed ourselves to give her a name since she would spend her life there.  Athena.

[janalyce]

08:17 PM on 03/18/2011

My friend and I rescued a great horned that couldn't fly and was being attacked by crows. We got a large tub and I chased the owl down the bar ditch until it was too tired to run....it rolled over and extended those huge talons at me, ready to fight to the death....we popped the tub over it, slid the lid underneath and took it to a rehab center. Beautiful bird, but big....I can understand the golfers getting freaked if something that size, with talons that big, came in for a landing on their head, LOL!

[Tulka2]

09:21 PM on 03/18/2011

Your method is the one i use to catch and release spiders!  Glad that worked.  The majority of raptors who are injured, are injured because they are hit my cars.   They are either eating road-kill in the middle of the road or, in the case of owls, the street lights are a perfect place to sit and dive for rodents..... bam.   I have seen crows (which are my totem animal) worry young owls to death.  Big enemies.  I'm sure the crows have their reasons too.

[Rocky Squirrelnuts]

03:03 PM on 03/17/2011

You know there is two sides to this story. I find the word "attack" to be misleading.

[Tulka2]

09:30 PM on 03/17/2011

You are correct, i think.  Any wild animal approaching humans is out of context and will freak them out.... the humans, i mean.

[Rocky Squirrelnuts]

02:53 PM on 03/17/2011

BENNINGTON can stick it!. I am tired of it!. There is a new sherriff in town people, so better be on your guard! Unless each town resident put a plate of assorted tasty nuts on their doormat, they are fair game. The uprising has begun. Squirrels unite!

[doctordoubt]

04:50 PM on 03/17/2011

They usually do at my place, but then, we feed them. And the vet was right. They do not carry rabies.

[FTracy3]

02:46 PM on 03/17/2011

Why can't they be more like their flying,peace loving brethren in Frostbite Falls?

[paddy523]

11:03 AM on 03/17/2011

Natasha!!! Must Go To This Vermont!!!! Find Moose And Squirrel!!!! Da Boris!!!!

[mudshark12]

12:18 AM on 03/17/2011

Hey Rockie! Ya wanna see a magic trick? Nuthin up my sleeve .............

[paddy523]

11:01 AM on 03/17/2011

Oh No!! Not Again!!!!!

[mudshark12]

01:13 AM on 03/18/2011

Presto!

[janalyce]

08:18 PM on 03/18/2011

Y'all are showing your age! (And so am I.....)