Squirrel Goes Postal

"An Oil City letter carrier was the victim of a pre-Halloween nightmare early Monday morning ... attacked by a squirrel and bitten several times while going about her daily routine."

"It was a freak thing. It was traumatic. I saw it there on the porch, put the mail in the box and turned to walk away and it jumped on me," she said.
After trying to swat the animal off, it ran up her leg and then onto her back, Dougherty said."

"I eventually got a hold of the tail and pulled it off me. No one was home at the house where I was delivering the mail, but the neighbor lady heard me screaming and came over," she said.

The squirrel stayed in the immediate area of the attack long enough for a neighbor to grab a BB gun and eliminate the renegade rodent. The body was sent to a laboratory to be tested for rabies."

"We've had bugs and spiders, but this is the first time I've ever heard of anything like this," said Steve Jolley, customer service manager at Oil City. "Usually the worst is a spider's nest inside a mailbox or a bee's nest."

"The concern for letter carriers is usually dog bites and deer running in front of rural carriers, officials said."

"The post office has policies in place to provide a safe working environment for employees, and will continue to follow those guidelines. We are not issuing a squirrel alert, but everyone is aware of the incident," Jolley said."
http://www.thederrick.com/stories/11012006-3012.shtml

That squirrel must have been rabid. I've never heard of one attacking anyone before unless they were cornered.

I know it's not funny but I kept wishing that they had video of it.

lizzybeth said:

That squirrel must have been rabid. I've never heard of one attacking anyone before unless they were cornered.

I know it's not funny but I kept wishing that they had video of it.

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It might have been protecting babies. I have rescued animals for awhile and been run up on, over and around, often, by all kinds of critters - and even though it hurts, I ASSURE you it's quite comical to watch.... as evidenced by my then-husband pulling a muscle in his side laughing so hard.

I am sure it is funny after the fact, if you are not in line for a series of rabbies shots, and need medical care.

Pretty sure that you many not find it that funny when you are trying to get the squirrel out from under your clothes on your back............

But since I am not a victim, yeah, it could be funny.....sort of

CyberLaw said:

I am sure it is funny after the fact, if you are not in line for a series of rabbies shots, and need medical care.

Pretty sure that you many not find it that funny when you are trying to get the squirrel out from under your clothes on your back............

But since I am not a victim, yeah, it could be funny.....sort of

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I guess funny is dependant on how badly you are hurt. A pit bull hanging on and tearing off mounds of flesh isn't funny, a squirrel under your shirt is hilarious, unless it takes off a nipple or something. Then it's only hilarious later, when you're drunk, and telling someone about it.

How about a "good dinner party" story.

Guess what happened to me.......

I am sure that with a few drinks the room will be roaring in laughter.

Most likely rabid I would say. It isn't the season for babies right now.

The strange thing is, I was just telling hubby last night about the "mean" squirrel out in the pines outside of the kitchen. It's a gray, and I have watched it chasing the little pine squirrels, chasing a rabbit that stopped to munch some grass. I was thinking that it was just being greedy about the nuts in the pine cones, but I am not sure now. We do have some folks currently in treatment at the hospital from being bit by rabid critters. Kind of frightening!

No, it wasn't my post lady!

I saw this in our "Canadian" hometown paper today, boy does news of this sort really make the "international" rounds.

I was jumped on by a squirrel one time, outside of our cafeteria. It was after my ice cream cone. it ran up my pants leg and across my chest and down my arm. I knocked it away and it ran off. We recently had an incident in the paper of squirrels that were being aggressive in a park. Unfortunately the squirrels had to be "eliminated" by the parks dept. People had been feeding them often and they became too accustommed to getting food from people and starting "demanding" food. They would act threateningly and charge people. I really crack up when trying to envision this scene, but it must have been frightening to those involved. They were worried about the squirrels attacking kids, and liability if someone was injured.

TheShadow said:

I was jumped on by a squirrel one time, outside of our cafeteria. It was after my ice cream cone. it ran up my pants leg and across my chest and down my arm. I knocked it away and it ran off. We recently had an incident in the paper of squirrels that were being aggressive in a park. Unfortunately the squirrels had to be "eliminated" by the parks dept. People had been feeding them often and they became too accustommed to getting food from people and starting "demanding" food. They would act threateningly and charge people. I really crack up when trying to envision this scene, but it must have been frightening to those involved. They were worried about the squirrels attacking kids, and liability if someone was injured.

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I took my daughter to Gainesville, FL to Shands Hospital last week, and at Burrito Brothers there is a squirrel they call "Pop Tart". She obviously just had babies (teat hairs were mashed around in a circle from nursing) and she was "demanding" food, like you said. She'd finnish something my daughter gave her and literally climb ON Her to get more. It was comical only because she didn't bite. I wonder if she would bite if she had been refused food?

:laugh:
"Never do anything you'd be too embarassed to explain to the paramedics."


I like that sig. line GlitchWizard. They have heard some good ones!

I don't know, maybe it is just me, but I don't think that I would be "blase" about a squirrel "attacking" me or acting in a "threatening" manner.

More like I would a few stiff drinks, after the fact. Then repeat: I can't believe this squirrel did this to me, why me, what did I ever do to him, why did he target me, I have never harmed a squirrel, ever.

CyberLaw said:

I don't know, maybe it is just me, but I don't think that I would be "blase" about a squirrel "attacking" me or acting in a "threatening" manner.

More like I would a few stiff drinks, after the fact. Then repeat: I can't believe this squirrel did this to me, why me, what did I ever do to him, why did he target me, I have never harmed a squirrel, ever.

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I can see you now, as an elderly person regaling youngsters with tales of your "unfortunate squirrel incident as a child!"

Glitch:

I don't think you meant it this way, but I am not a child.

But I can see myself as a "Grandma", probably retired, sitting in my rocking chair, cup of tea in hand, telling the "Grandkids" a story of "when I was your Mom's age or a bit younger, I had an "unfortunate" incident with a squirrel who went nuts, literally.

Best regards,

CyberLaw said:

Glitch:

I don't think you meant it this way, but I am not a child.

But I can see myself as a "Grandma", probably retired, sitting in my rocking chair, cup of tea in hand, telling the "Grandkids" a story of "when I was your Mom's age or a bit younger, I had an "unfortunate" incident with a squirrel who went nuts, literally.

Best regards,

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I didn't assume you were a child at all. I don't really see the difference in our statements' meanings - just different words. If I missed your point, I am sorry. Do you mean family members only? Just last night I listened to an elderly lady (a stranger I helped) in the parking lot of KMart talk my ear off about her life in great detail - her unfortunate car accident years ago and subsequent health problems, etc. I guess that's what made me think of you, in later years, telling the story of your accident as well. It wasn't meant in any way other than just a cute thought - not sure what you took differently, if anything.

I guess it was just the difference in phrasing that is all.

No offence, none taken...

Smile..........