Raccoons terrorizing Northwest Portland community

By Jeffrey Lindblom

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    PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — A Northwest Portland neighborhood is fed up with a raccoon that they say is ravaging their community.

Neighbors say it started with pets being attacked, and then soon after, the raccoon began attacking people.

Last Tuesday and at the corner of Northwest 22nd Avenue and Johnson Street, video captures Shawna Wells and her dog being attacked by a raccoon while out on a routine walk around 9:30 p.m.

“It was pretty bloody, and I was in a state of shock. I’ve had some nightmares and stuff,” Wells said. “I’m a little freaked out to walk her. I haven’t walked her at night yet, and I don’t know that I will for a long time. That was a really intense momma, who was unrelenting and not giving up.”

“This raccoon won’t let go,” Jordan Barbeau, whose dogs were attacked by what she believes was the same animal, added. She explained the attack happened while her husband was walking the dogs. She said her husband was able to break up the fight, but it didn’t do much good initially.

“It came back and came after them,” she said. “It didn’t try to run away.”

The altercation tore the ear off one of their dogs.

“You can end up too close for this raccoon’s comfort,” she said, “without having any idea that she’s there.”

Barbeau said it appears the aggressive raccoon may be the mother of two smaller racoons in the group.

She calls the raccoons “brave,” and willing to get up close and personal with people and their pets. She’s warning people to keep their heads on a swivel when they’re out and about, and to be aware of their surroundings.

“You could be 15 to 20 feet away from it, and it’ll decide that you’re a threat and you don’t even know that it’s there,” she said. “It’s really alarming.”

Due to the continued problem, neighbors began setting up catch and release traps. They’ve also placed many signs that warn neighbors of the potential problem. Barbeau said that’s especially true for people with children or small animals.

“I would be very scared of what could end up happening,” she said.

Barbeau said she’s gotten ahold of all kinds of agencies, but none of them were able to come and remove the animal.

“Everybody just said that we’ll have to hire a private company to come trap them,” She explained.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said they’re willing to loan traps, and permit those who are willing to capture the raccoons. However, they’d have to be euthanized, as it is illegal to relocate raccoons in Oregon.

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