An SPCA agent set a can of cat food inside a trap on Tuesday at the Old Swedes Episcopal Church in Wilmington. After all, it could have been cat food left by church members for strays that attracted a raccoon to the church yard in the first place.
No one expected a church member to be attacked Sunday morning. She was taken by paramedics to a local hospital, but her attack was just the beginning.
Later that night a toy poodle named Coco was bitten.
"This raccoon did not want to go anywhere. I tried to throw water on it, I tried to hit it with a bat," said Coco's owner Sharonda Lynch of Wilmington.
Coco's wounds are not pretty. The dog is recovering at the SPCA because she wasn't up-to-date on her shots. Her heartbroken owner is not only worried about her pet, but about her safety and the safety of others in the neighborhood.
"I'm very concerned about this raccoon getting off the street," said Lynch. "I'm scared to go outside!"
Lynch has reason to be concerned. A security guard at the Chase building on the 300 block of Walnut Street was also bitten Monday morning.
As for Coco, Lynch is concerned that, if the raccoon isn't caught and tested for rabies, it will mean the worst for her beloved pet.
"No, I don't want them to put my dog down. She's two years old and I have five kids that love her and I love her," she said.
The SPCA is hoping to trap the raccoon so all concerned will know if the aggressive animal is rabid or not.
In the meantime, residents in the area are warned to keep an eye on small children and pets.
