BARRINGTON, R.I. (WJAR) — A routine trip to the mailbox turned into a frightening encounter for a 91-year-old Barrington man who says a raccoon attacked him from behind as he walked down the steps of his home.
Hal Hamilton said the attack happened just after 9 a.m. on October 2. He was carefully walking down the stairs when the raccoon hit him behind both knees, knocking him off balance.
“I felt something like a bolster had been rolled down the stairs behind me and placed me right behind both knees,” Hamilton said. “And then the backup.”
A routine trip to the mailbox turned into a frightening encounter for a 91-year-old Barrington man who says a raccoon attacked him from behind.
Hamilton said he managed to free himself, but the raccoon remained nearby and appeared ready to attack again. He fought back with his cane, hitting the animal and pushing it away.
Hamilton said he knew he had been attacked, but did not initially realize the bites had pierced his skin.
He then discovered marks on her sweatpants that appeared to show where the raccoon’s teeth had pierced the fabric and eventually found the wounds behind her legs.
After the meeting, Hamilton contacted Rhode Island Fish and Wildlife for advice. The Department of Health and local officials were also notified, according to a report obtained by NBC 10 from the Barrington Police Department.
Hal Hamilton later discovered marks on his sweatpants that appeared to show where the raccoon’s teeth had pierced the fabric and eventually found the wounds behind his legs. (WJAR)
Hamilton sought treatment for rabies vaccinations after the bite. He said he initially went to Brown Urgent Care but was told he couldn’t be treated there and would have to go to a hospital in Newport.
Instead, he went to a local CVS, where the vaccine was available. Hamilton said he paid $440 out of pocket because his insurance copay did not cover the vaccine.
“I don’t care if you multiply that by five, put it there,” Hamilton recalled telling the pharmacy staff.
Hamilton has since received a follow-up reminder. He said he was more cautious when going out after the unexpected encounter.
The attack also gave him a new appreciation for the steps he carefully walks each day, which he nicknamed the “steps of woe.”
Gn Health
