Squirrel Attacks Boy in California Park
Apparently squirrels are looking to change their reputation as fearful, furry critters. In Mountain View, California, a four year-old boy suffered several bites from a squirrel. Andrew Packard was at Cuesta Park and unwrapped a muffin when a brown squirrel jumped on him from a tree and began biting at him on his arms. Andrew ran screaming and fell to the ground, all the while the squirrel tried to hang on.
Jennifer Packard, Andrew’s mother, described the attack as “a horror. To hear your child screaming the way you’ve never heard before . . . it was just bone chilling.”
This was not the first squirrel attack. Several had been reported since this past May, to include an incident where a squirrel jumped into a toddler’s stroller.
Mountain View Community Services Director David Muela said officials “have no reason to believe that the squirrels are rabid.” However, Jennifer Packard took extra precaution and had a series of rabies shots to begin on her son. Santa Clara County’s public health spokeswoman Joy Alexiou says that unprovoked attacks “can be an indicator of rabies.”
Muela believes that the squirrels are becoming more aggressive due to them becoming more familiar and used to humans feeding them.
Although these attacks are coming from normally peaceful creatures, Muela is taking them very seriously. “We want to make sure the park is a safe and enjoyable experience for people.” Park ranger patrols have increased in order to remind people of the no-feeding-the-squirrels rules. Squirrel-proof garbage cans have been installed, and several posters warning about the squirrels can be seen on several trees in the park. As a last resort, Muela said, some squirrels may be trapped and euthanized.
Laura Gibson, a frequent jogger of the park, has seen the squirrels change in behavior over the months. “I’ve seen them walk up to people, but I’ve also seen people feed them,” she said. “I understand the dilemma for the squirrels. They are getting irritated at usâÂ?¦They want to know where’s the food.” She says that although people aren’t directly feeding the squirrels, people often leave scraps behind for them to eat.
As far as little Andrew is concerned, he vows that he never again wants to go to parks with trees in them. He tells people that the squirrel was trying to eat him. “`I fell down, and he fell on me, and . . . and he’s still on, and yeah, he was crazy. I don’t know what he was trying to do.”
Jennifer Packard, Andrew’s mother, described the attack as “a horror. To hear your child screaming the way you’ve never heard before . . . it was just bone chilling.”
This was not the first squirrel attack. Several had been reported since this past May, to include an incident where a squirrel jumped into a toddler’s stroller.
Mountain View Community Services Director David Muela said officials “have no reason to believe that the squirrels are rabid.” However, Jennifer Packard took extra precaution and had a series of rabies shots to begin on her son. Santa Clara County’s public health spokeswoman Joy Alexiou says that unprovoked attacks “can be an indicator of rabies.”
Muela believes that the squirrels are becoming more aggressive due to them becoming more familiar and used to humans feeding them.
Although these attacks are coming from normally peaceful creatures, Muela is taking them very seriously. “We want to make sure the park is a safe and enjoyable experience for people.” Park ranger patrols have increased in order to remind people of the no-feeding-the-squirrels rules. Squirrel-proof garbage cans have been installed, and several posters warning about the squirrels can be seen on several trees in the park. As a last resort, Muela said, some squirrels may be trapped and euthanized.
Laura Gibson, a frequent jogger of the park, has seen the squirrels change in behavior over the months. “I’ve seen them walk up to people, but I’ve also seen people feed them,” she said. “I understand the dilemma for the squirrels. They are getting irritated at usâÂ?¦They want to know where’s the food.” She says that although people aren’t directly feeding the squirrels, people often leave scraps behind for them to eat.
As far as little Andrew is concerned, he vows that he never again wants to go to parks with trees in them. He tells people that the squirrel was trying to eat him. “`I fell down, and he fell on me, and . . . and he’s still on, and yeah, he was crazy. I don’t know what he was trying to do.”
