A squirrel. Drawing. – Elli Stattaus
Covid – 19, containment , snowstorm… and now violent squirrels. Residents of New York will not not been spared in this year 2020. Residents of the Rego Park neighborhood in Queens, east of the city, have indeed complained of several squirrel attacks in recent months. A woman even had to go to hospital after a bite to her hand, local media reported.
“He bit or scratched my neck, I had to try to reach him with my hands then it turned into a wrestling match and I lost ”, recounted Michelin Frederick, assaulted on 20 last December, on the radio channel WABC . Her hands were covered in blood and bruises and she had to be vaccinated against rabies as a precaution.
Pepper spray to defend yourself
She is particularly worried about the children of the neighborhood. Another resident explained that she now moves with pepper spray to defend herself in the event of an attack by climbing rodents.
New York health officials have advised residents to hire a professional to deal with this local wildlife issue. “Squirrels and other small rodents are rarely carriers of rabies,” the city services said in a statement.
The New York Department of Parks Management has warned residents against distributing food to squirrels, which accustom them to human contact.