I've mentioned in previous posts that the raccoon has been hitting us hard and regularly. But it won't anymore! Mark was ready for it last night.
He woke up around 2:00 AM when he heard the raccoon knock something off the shelf right outside our window. Our cats sleep on the very top shelf and we often feed them up there so the dogs don't get their food. Mark knew the cats wouldn't knock things down in the middle of the night; they aren't that clumsy. So he was up and out the door before I could really figure out was going on. I woke up and headed for the bathroom (ah, pregnancy), where I heard the commotion outside.
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| Ling Ling |
The raccoon was face-to-face with Ling Ling, the
world's best cat. It was trying to get to the cats' food! The dogs scared the raccoon down a shelf level, but it got right back up when it saw Jack's Jaws of Terror! This is when Mark called me through the window to bring him The Judge. It was time for the raccoon to be tried by fire.
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| "Hey, come on in. The door's open!" |
Mark had me call the dogs back inside. My Pathetic Doberman, who really isn't that pathetic, is a good listener and very obedient. Although there was a strange creature invading her territory and threatening her pet, she came straight to me. Her job is to be my constant companion and protect me over protecting our property and possessions. Jack's primary job is to protect the property and Mark. We didn't give them these jobs, they just do them. So, when I called Jack the Pirate, he looked at me, looked at Mark (who was focused on the raccoon's position), and decided if Mark was ignoring me, he could ignore me too. Jack dashed off into the dark, following the raccoon's initial trail.
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| "Were you going somewhere? You'll need an escort." |
I went back inside to close the windows. We didn't want to spook any kids with the noise. The first shot fired and the raccoon was hit, right in the face. Instead of dropping dead, it jumped off the shelf and started running. The next few seconds were terrifying for me because all I could hear was Mark yelling, "No! No! No! Jack, Nooo!" snarling, a loud cry, another shot, and silence..... and then Mark calling for me for help.
The raccoon was dead, but Jack was bit. It wasn't a bad bite, but he did bleed a bit. We cleaned him up with hydrogen peroxide and Jack behaved like a good little boy the whole time. He is mostly up-to-date on his vaccinations, but Mark and Ian took him in to see the vet this morning, just in case. Mark feels terrible that Jack wouldn't come in and got injured. But we are so super thankful he was able to hold the raccoon so Mark could get the second shot that brought it down.
I brought the girls out to see the body this morning after Mark left. They acted appropriately for little girls that love their dog. Sweet concern for Jack, bitter hatred and feelings of revenge toward the raccoon--and its family. That Fiona is a funny girl. Having an injured pet is one of those memories that never leaves, so I wanted to make sure the girls understood what pests and disease risks raccoons are. I'm sure the girls will never feed cat food to the cute urban raccoons on their porches when they grow up!
So, that is what we did last night! There's always an adventure around here...
