Warning: This story describes a graphic scene.
City and conservative service officials are urging pet owners to keep their animals on a leash after a dog was killed by raccoons just off a popular walking path in Trail.
David Craig was walking his two dogs, a lab named Jango and a little Shih Tzu named Lucy, on Thursday morning at Gyro Park.
Craig said the larger dog must have picked up a scent before running through the tall grass into a swampy section, and started barking.
Lucy had followed, but couldnѻýt run away quickly.
ѻýI went in to try to help her because I wasnѻýt sure what was going on,ѻý Craig said. ѻýThe raccoons were just chomping down on her and didnѻýt (care at all that) I was there with a stick. One was ready to attack meѻý. It was horrible.ѻý
Shaken and unable to retrieve Lucyѻýs remains, he went home and had his family contact the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
ѻýThere are a few people that take their small dogs through there all the time, like I have been doing every morning for at least the past year,ѻý he said. ѻýWith people walking through there, and kids playing down there, you canѻýt have a pack of raccoons ѻý running around the neighbourhood.
ѻýThatѻýs what gets me, they werenѻýt scared of me at all, they were just hungry.ѻý
Kyle Bueckert, a conservation officer in the West Kootenay zone, said the city will post signs about the aggressive raccoons in the park, and for pet owners to keep their dogs on a leash at all times.
ѻýItѻýs very unlikely we would have a raccoon-human interaction,ѻý he said. ѻýItѻýs much more likely (this happened) given the fact that these dogs were off-trail investigating the raccoons.ѻý
newsroom@trailtimes.ca
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