Staff Writer
It was a nice Monday afternoon April 17 when Janet Haley was working in her yard, ready to set the last post for a fence she is putting up.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Haley felt something on her pant leg and shoe. When she looked down to see what was going on, she realized it was a skunk attacking her with little if any mercy.
A surprise indeed, but Haley had heard tales of what was presumably the same skunk that had terrorized other neighbors and their pets in recent days in the Nursery Street neighborhood of Nevada City.
A neighbor, Dan Christie, had his own horrifying experience when the skunk went after his dog, spraying her and eventually latching onto her tail. Word of the black-and-white mini-beast was starting to get around the closely-knit town.
“It didn’t actually bite me but it’s similar to what Janet experienced,” Christie said. “Sunday morning I was putting some things in my truck and I have a wood shed and I heard this ruckus from it. My dog came flying out of there and was scratching her face; she’d been sprayed.”
After bathing his dog the best he could he took her back outside and the skunk was still there. This time, it took hold of his dog’s tail and wouldn’t let go. It didn’t spare Christie.
“I was panicking,” said Christie. “I thought it left my yard and went up between the two fences then I felt something on my pant leg and I twisted and turned to get it off of me and damaged my hamstring.”
“I started evasive action, and I tried everything to get it away,” said Haley of her own experience.
Calls to medical personnel were made by Haley’s daughter, as well as to animal control, who were hesitant to visit the scene. The case was turned over to California Department of Fish & Wildlife.
“The only reason we are involved as state wildlife agency, is any time there is an attack on a human we are the lead investigating agency at that point,” said Kyle Glau, Wildlife Officer with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.
“As far as problem animals or pests, we direct people to Animal Control or abatement companies. We don’t come out and deal with skunks that are just around. The only reason we are involved is because of the human contact conflict.”
Glau was responsible for eventually transporting the animal to UC Davis, where it tested rabid.
Spotting a rabid animal is, according to Glau, somewhat impossible without testing the brain matter of said animal, though there are some telling characteristics.
“You can’t really tell,” Glau said. “We have to test it which involves testing the brain of a dead animal. Until it’s captured and tested there’s no way. (Signs can include) they’re out in the middle of the day, not afraid of people, acting delirious—these could be signs but could also be a sign of distemper.
“Obviously one is to never touch it or try to catch it. They’re going to be around. Eliminate food sources, maintain properties to make sure there are no hiding holes and if you do find out an animal is denned call animal control.”
Glau said that after five years with the department this is the first skunk attack he has ever dealt with. He said there does seem to be an abnormal number of rabid skunks, though it isn’t his department’s biggest concern.
Haley’s background in science helped her be slightly more prepared, but for her the attack is an opportunity to educate the community on the dos and dont’s of dealing with rabid animals.
“Rabies is in the vicinity,” said Haley.
“And if you find yourself in a similar situation”, she said, “Call California Fish & Wildlife, not Animal Control. Additionally, call your local law enforcement, and whatever you do don’t damage the head of the animal. Doing so would make it impossible to test for rabies.
Haley also advised to “keep pets’ immunizations up-to-date. This includes distemper which also causes atypical behavior and has been recorded in the vicinity.”
“Skunks aren’t bad,” said Haley, ”they are important for rodent control.”
According to zoologists Tracy Storer and Robert L. Usinger, “About half the food (a skunk eats) is of grasshoppers, beetles, and other surface-dwelling insects. This is supplemented by mice, pocket gophers, wood rats and squirrels, occasional reptiles and amphibians…”
Having suffered multiple injuries that are still healing, Haley is eager to give credit where she said it is due.
“Anything you can say to express my incredible gratitude to Nevada City Police, Fire Rescue, the ambulance—perfect people. They were so professional and competent and I could let myself be in their hands. We are lucky to have people like that.”