City struggles to contain street gangs — of raccoons

[link to www.latimes.com]

Alameda struggles to contain street gangs — of raccoons


When one masked critter charged a woman and her terrier, four other raccoons dropped from the trees to join the fray. It's the ninth attack since June...


"'I was running as fast as I could and screaming at the top of my lungs, 'Help! Help! Help!' " said the East Bay resident. "I ran about a third of a block, then tripped and fell on the ground.

...

"Raccoons also have been known to get dogs into swimming pools and drown them.

"They grab them by the head and hold them under water," said Gary Beeman, a Northern California wildlife biologist who owns a pest control company, consults with the federal government and has trapped hundreds of raccoons. "Not just little dogs — Labrador size.