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Vt. Neighborhood Terrorized by ... Rogue Squirrel?

Residents scratched, bitten by renegade rodent

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 17, 2011 5:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – A rogue gray squirrel has been terrorizing a neighborhood in Vermont. One resident says he was shoveling snow when the squirrel jumped onto his back three separate times, scratching and clawing him before he finally managed to chase it away. At least two other people on the street have been attacked as well, reports the Bennington Banner.

One victim is being treated for exposure to rabies, although Vermont's chief veterinarian says there's never been a case of a squirrel passing rabies to a human. He says that it's likely that the squirrel isn't rabid, but may have been kept as a pet and lost its fear of humans. The squirrel might "go ballistic" when it meets people it doesn't recognize, the vet tells the AP.

"As far as we know he's still at large out there," one squirrel victim says. (Shutterstock)

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Showing 3 of 14 comments

mlondeaux

Mar 18, 2011 12:13 PM CDT

I had a squirrel in my back yard that used to drive my dogs crazy. He lived in a 30 ft pine tree but sometimes, just for fun, he would come down and run around in circles all over the yard with my three dogs hot on his tail. This little squirrel had no fear and totally seemed to enjoy himself as he ran around my yard. After he was done teasing the dogs he would run back up into the tree chattering all the while, almost as if he was laughing at them. It was the funniest thing watching this whole thing transpire from my kitchen window.

beckjr2000

Mar 17, 2011 11:43 AM CDT

Fried Squirrel, squirrel and dumplings, squirrel pot pie, ... There are a few answers to this problem.

NoddaAndYou

Mar 17, 2011 11:07 AM CDT

What, no cats in Vermont? wtf?

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Vt. Neighborhood Terrorized by ... Rogue Squirrel?

Residents scratched, bitten by renegade rodent

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Vermont • animal attack • squirrel • rabies

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