A Somerville woman, Katharine VanBuskirk, was violently attacked by a raccoon while letting her dogs out in the early hours over the weekend. The unexpected encounter took place in her community yard on Chester Street, a spot she described as typically peaceful and frequented by various wildlife. While opening her door Saturday morning, VanBuskirk was ambushed by the animal. In a statement obtained by WCVB, she recounted the harrowing ordeal, saying, "Opened the door and then kapow! That’s a bite. Basically tried to climb me. It came at me from every direction. It was a horrible experience."
Fighting off the raccoon while her arm was still in a sling from recent surgery, VanBuskirk sustained multiple scratches and bites to her face, arms, and legs. According to her interview with WCVB, the raccoon's aggressive behavior felt "monstrous," owing to its persistent attacks. After a strenuous battle, she was able to retreat to safety inside her home and sought medical attention immediately, spending hours in a hospital to commence a series of rabies shots.
The Boston Globe reports that VanBuskirk was taken to Mount Auburn Hospital, where she was treated with immunoglobulin, antibiotics, and began the rabies vaccination protocol. Despite the chaos, her two dogs—Blue, a black cocker spaniel, and Rubi, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel—escaped unharmed. VanBuskirk has been a resident of Chester Street since 1986 and expressed that she had never experienced an incident quite like this before.
The raccoon, which may have been drawn to a compost bin VanBuskirk had on her deck, came shortly after one of her neighbors spotted a raccoon with four small cubs in the area. Recovering from her injuries, VanBuskirk told The Boston Globe, "This animal did not stop attacking me." Raccoons are commonly found throughout Massachusetts and are particularly active at dawn and dusk. MassWildlife experts note that mother raccoons can be very protective of their cubs, which typically start being active around 7 to 8 weeks of age.
In light of the attack, VanBuskirk is eager to spread awareness to ensure the safety of others in the community. Both WCVB and The Boston Globe report her urging the public to exercise caution, particularly young mothers who frequent the bike path in the area. VanBuskirk's experience serves as a stark reminder of wildlife unpredictability, even in urban spaces seemingly transformed into oases of serenity.
