General Discussion

underpants

(182,839 posts) Thu Mar 12, 2015, 08:41 AM Mar 2015

75 year old woman strangles rabid raccoon to death at botanical garden

http://m.richmond.com/news/local/henrico/article_c5b020ff-08c3-508e-b27c-cae458989979.html?mode=jqm

Cas Overton knew she would not be able to get away from the violent raccoon that attacked her on the leg Saturday afternoon as she walked in Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden watching for birds.

So she did what she had to do.

“I tried to shake it off and realized how violent it was,” said Overton, 75, of Henrico County. “As I moved backward away from it, I grabbed its neck and I knew that I couldn’t get away from it. If I ran, it would be faster than I would and would just tear me to pieces.

“So I threw it to the ground and I strangled it — with both hands. I am a terrific animal lover. It’s the last thing in the world I would have ever wanted to do, but you know self-preservation kicks in, and I guess a primitive part of my brain just went into operation and that was it,” she said Tuesday, recalling the incident.

Overton, who taught tai chi for 40 years and who is a Feldenkrais practitioner — a method for working with people who have physical concerns — said she believes it was that physical and mental training that enabled her to respond as she did.

“I think that the presence of mind and the focusing on the moment was just with me to manage to do this,” said Overton, who volunteers at the garden.

41 replies

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Highlight:

75 year old woman strangles rabid raccoon to death at botanical garden (Original Post) underpants Mar 2015 OP

If it was a rabid raccoon, she will need to get the rabies shots I assume still_one Mar 2015 #1

absolutely. there's a window within which to get them. nt magical thyme Mar 2015 #10

Was the raccoon jewish? nt flying rabbit Mar 2015 #24

They're not sure yet. But . . . Major Hogwash Mar 2015 #25

Rabbis shots? Jamastiene Mar 2015 #33

thanks still_one Mar 2015 #35

Well done, Cas! Impressive. morningfog Mar 2015 #2

She did the right thing. leftofcool Mar 2015 #3

Survival of the fittest in action. betsuni Mar 2015 #4

:-) underpants Mar 2015 #5

Aerows was bitten by a raccoon some time ago. I hope she sees this thread. I bet tblue37 Mar 2015 #6

I was about to say.. PasadenaTrudy Mar 2015 #16

My first thought also!!! n/t Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #18

Same here malaise Mar 2015 #22

I'm saying nothing. .....nt msanthrope Mar 2015 #28

Maybe I'll try that on the little devils who come in and eat the cat food. NV Whino Mar 2015 #7

oh hai! frylock Mar 2015 #17

This is my resident pest. NV Whino Mar 2015 #19

It might be a good idea to get one of the locking doors BrotherIvan Mar 2015 #30

A client of mine had one of those NV Whino Mar 2015 #32

... BrotherIvan Mar 2015 #36

... awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #20

There was one thing about that commercial that seemed like a missed Jamastiene Mar 2015 #34

She has nothing to be ashamed of, it IS survival of the fittest. Rex Mar 2015 #8

I guess for the racoon it was a no-Darwin situation. betsuni Mar 2015 #13

The raccoon was going to die very soon anyway, if it was rabid. nt. Mariana Mar 2015 #15

Good for her! DAMN!!!!!! That's a story for the grandkids when they're older!!!! nt MADem Mar 2015 #9

she did the racoon a favor. magical thyme Mar 2015 #11

Good point. (nt) Paladin Mar 2015 #14

I ws once chrged by a rabid raccoon and ws able to repel it with a roar... Tom Ripley Mar 2015 #12

One of my cousins managed to out run one. Just made it in the door as the coon caught up with him. jwirr Mar 2015 #39

glad she ok Liberal_in_LA Mar 2015 #21

Courageous lady... TeeYiYi Mar 2015 #23

Now there's a headline worthy Kelvin Mace Mar 2015 #26

Old women are tough! QuebecYank Mar 2015 #27

as the saying goes: "Old age isn't for wimps." GreatGazoo Mar 2015 #37

If the Raccoon was a white supremicist, she could get KKKbies A HERETIC I AM Mar 2015 #29

++++ underpants Mar 2015 #31

This would have been a classic Lounge post KamaAina Mar 2015 #38

:-) underpants Mar 2015 #41

I'm not even sort of kidding, ......google "Zombeaver" NM_Birder Mar 2015 #40

still_one

(92,251 posts)

1. If it was a rabid raccoon, she will need to get the rabies shots I assume

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 08:44 AM

Mar 2015

Last edited Fri Mar 13, 2015, 10:33 AM - Edit history (2)

magical thyme

(14,881 posts)

10. absolutely. there's a window within which to get them. nt

Reply to still_one (Reply #1)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:40 AM

Mar 2015

flying rabbit

(4,636 posts)

24. Was the raccoon jewish? nt

Reply to still_one (Reply #1)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:27 PM

Mar 2015

Major Hogwash

(17,656 posts)

25. They're not sure yet. But . . .

Reply to flying rabbit (Reply #24)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 12:21 AM

Mar 2015

. . . the zoo's curator found a very small, and rather well-worn yamaka, along with a very small tallit in the gardens later on the same day.
But, so far, no one has come forward to claim them.

Jamastiene

(38,187 posts)

33. Rabbis shots?

Reply to still_one (Reply #1)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:39 AM

Mar 2015

I'm not even sure what that is.

She will need to get rabies shots though.

still_one

(92,251 posts)

35. thanks

Reply to Jamastiene (Reply #33)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 10:34 AM

Mar 2015

morningfog

(18,115 posts)

2. Well done, Cas! Impressive.

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 08:45 AM

Mar 2015

leftofcool

(19,460 posts)

3. She did the right thing.

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 08:50 AM

Mar 2015

betsuni

(25,549 posts)

4. Survival of the fittest in action.

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:01 AM

Mar 2015

Violent racoons are no match for a tai chi teacher with forty years of experience.

underpants

(182,839 posts)

5. :-)

Reply to betsuni (Reply #4)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:53 AM

Mar 2015

tblue37

(65,423 posts)

6. Aerows was bitten by a raccoon some time ago. I hope she sees this thread. I bet

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:00 AM

Mar 2015

she would find it interesting.

PasadenaTrudy

(3,998 posts)

16. I was about to say..

Reply to tblue37 (Reply #6)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:32 AM

Mar 2015

Aerows, was that you?

Yo_Mama

(8,303 posts)

18. My first thought also!!! n/t

Reply to PasadenaTrudy (Reply #16)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:38 AM

Mar 2015

malaise

(269,068 posts)

22. Same here

Reply to PasadenaTrudy (Reply #16)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:40 PM

Mar 2015

msanthrope

(37,549 posts)

28. I'm saying nothing. .....nt

Reply to tblue37 (Reply #6)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 01:51 AM

Mar 2015

NV Whino

(20,886 posts)

7. Maybe I'll try that on the little devils who come in and eat the cat food.

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:27 AM

Mar 2015

frylock

(34,825 posts)

17. oh hai!

Reply to NV Whino (Reply #7)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:36 AM

Mar 2015

NV Whino

(20,886 posts)

19. This is my resident pest.

Reply to frylock (Reply #17)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:50 PM

Mar 2015

BrotherIvan

(9,126 posts)

30. It might be a good idea to get one of the locking doors

Reply to NV Whino (Reply #19)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 04:15 AM

Mar 2015

Your cat wears the "key" to the door on her collar so nothing else can get in. I love looking at raccoons but I would not want one in the house!

NV Whino

(20,886 posts)

32. A client of mine had one of those

Reply to BrotherIvan (Reply #30)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:26 AM

Mar 2015

The raccoon tore it apart. Don't underestimate the little devils.

BrotherIvan

(9,126 posts)

36. ...

Reply to NV Whino (Reply #32)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 01:22 PM

Mar 2015

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

20. ...

Reply to NV Whino (Reply #7)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:29 PM

Mar 2015

Jamastiene

(38,187 posts)

34. There was one thing about that commercial that seemed like a missed

Reply to awoke_in_2003 (Reply #20)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 09:43 AM

Mar 2015

opportunity to me. They should have had the raccoon stop, listen to her, look at her, THEN follow her into the house. That is how it would have really happened. In real life, raccoons VERY smart and you can almost see them thinking. If they had added just that second of footage of the raccoon stopping and looking first, it would have been about 100 times funnier and more true to life. Still, it was a cute commercial. I will admit I still laughed every time I saw it.

Rex

(65,616 posts)

8. She has nothing to be ashamed of, it IS survival of the fittest.

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:31 AM

Mar 2015

Either strangle the raccoon or face getting mauled. She is right, that raccoon would have torn her apart or at least ripped chunks out of her body.

Good for her, people should remember we are animals too.

betsuni

(25,549 posts)

13. I guess for the racoon it was a no-Darwin situation.

Reply to Rex (Reply #8)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:07 AM

Mar 2015

Mariana

(14,858 posts)

15. The raccoon was going to die very soon anyway, if it was rabid. nt.

Reply to Rex (Reply #8)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:17 AM

Mar 2015

MADem

(135,425 posts)

9. Good for her! DAMN!!!!!! That's a story for the grandkids when they're older!!!! nt

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:38 AM

Mar 2015

magical thyme

(14,881 posts)

11. she did the racoon a favor.

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:41 AM

Mar 2015

it would have suffered horribly, died a horrible death, and potentially infected other critters along the way.

Paladin

(28,266 posts)

14. Good point. (nt)

Reply to magical thyme (Reply #11)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:14 AM

Mar 2015

Tom Ripley

(4,945 posts)

12. I ws once chrged by a rabid raccoon and ws able to repel it with a roar...

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:06 AM

Mar 2015

I'm sure as hell glad that I didn't have to grapple with the thing

jwirr

(39,215 posts)

39. One of my cousins managed to out run one. Just made it in the door as the coon caught up with him.

Reply to Tom Ripley (Reply #12)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 01:36 PM

Mar 2015

Liberal_in_LA

(44,397 posts)

21. glad she ok

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:38 PM

Mar 2015

TeeYiYi

(8,028 posts)

23. Courageous lady...

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 09:56 PM

Mar 2015

...Cas Overton:

TYY

Kelvin Mace

(17,469 posts)

26. Now there's a headline worthy

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 12:55 AM

Mar 2015

of the Weekly World News. Of course they would have played it as a sex romp gone tragically wrong.

QuebecYank

(147 posts)

27. Old women are tough!

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 12:56 AM

Mar 2015

I once witnessed my 63 year old grandmother beat a weasel to death with a rake, after it tried to attack her. She was a farmer. The lesson, never mess with an old woman.

GreatGazoo

(3,937 posts)

37. as the saying goes: "Old age isn't for wimps."

Reply to QuebecYank (Reply #27)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 01:26 PM

Mar 2015

A HERETIC I AM

(24,371 posts)

29. If the Raccoon was a white supremicist, she could get KKKbies

Reply to underpants (Original post)

Fri Mar 13, 2015, 02:02 AM

Mar 2015

If the Raccoon was French, she might contract Qu'est-ce que-bies

If the woman was a big fan of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, she might get Tina Feybies

If she often worked in a barn, she could contract haybies.

But since she was a Feldenkrais practitioner, she'll most likely get Feldonkraisbies.

(Hat tip to Tim Kazurinsky)