Vt. Neighborhood Terrorized by ... Rogue Squirrel?

Residents scratched, bitten by renegade rodent
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 17, 2011 5:00 AM CDT
Rogue Squirrel Stalks Bennington, Vermont, Neighborhood
"As far as we know he's still at large out there," one squirrel victim says.   (Shutterstock)

A rogue gray squirrel has been terrorizing a neighborhood in Vermont. One resident says he was shoveling snow when the squirrel jumped onto his back three separate times, scratching and clawing him before he finally managed to chase it away. At least two other people on the street have been attacked as well, reports the Bennington Banner.

One victim is being treated for exposure to rabies, although Vermont's chief veterinarian says there's never been a case of a squirrel passing rabies to a human. He says that it's likely that the squirrel isn't rabid, but may have been kept as a pet and lost its fear of humans. The squirrel might "go ballistic" when it meets people it doesn't recognize, the vet tells the AP. (More animal attack stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X