PORTLAND, Ore. — Jordan Barbeau is warning people around her Northwest Portland neighborhood to beware of raccoons after reports of multiple attacks.
“I just don't want them in this neighborhood,” said Barbeau, who lives at the corner of Northwest Johnson Street and Northwest 22nd Avenue.
Barbeau said she first noticed the raccoons in July. Security cameras captured video of what appeared to be an adult raccoon and four young raccoons walking on and around her property. She said the mother raccoon is especially aggressive and attacked her husband and their two dogs while on a walk around 9:20 p.m.
“No warning, no hissing, no growl, it just came right out,” said Barbeau.
The raccoon sliced the ear of one of her dogs and left puncture wounds in her other dog’s leg before her husband finally kicked it away.
“It was just digging in on her body, holding on to her,” said Barbeau.
On the night of Aug. 1, Barbeau’s cameras captured another attack. Video shows a woman out walking her dog when a raccoon attacks both of them. The woman screams and the dog barks wildly during the attack which lasted 18 seconds.
“Not only was her dog bitten but she was bitten on the leg at least in two spots,” said Barbeau. “When she went to the ER they actually told her that she was not the first person to come in for a raccoon bite just that week.”
Barbeau posted a sign on a street tree hoping to warn neighbors about the situation. Many people, including neighbor Devan Freeman, stopped to read it in disbelief.
“That's ridiculous,” said Freeman. “Raccoons?! What's going on?”
A spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife told KGW they offered to loan neighbors raccoon traps and euthanize any they catch.
Until the situation is resolved, ODFW suggested people avoid walking their dogs in that area at night. They’re also asking people to avoid putting things outside that might attract raccoons, like accessible food waste and pet food.
Barbeau set out five catch-and-release traps on her own that won't injure the animals.
“So far no luck,” said Barbeau.
She hopes the animals leave on their own.
“I've got neighbors that have little kids that would be at serious risk if they were out playing in the yard,” she said. “This is not an area where an animal this aggressive is going to be able to co-exist.”