Residents Claim They’re Being Attacked By Squirrels in New York Park
We can wrap up the year with one more abnormality; vicious squirrels who are out for blood. This is what residents near one New York park are claiming, as Patch.com says reports are coming in of a number of unprovoked squirrel attacks. Some of the attacks have even left pools of blood. What the hell is going on? The obvious explanation here for some might be rabies, but the NYC Department of Health says that is not the case.
Some residents near Rego Park say they've been attacked by the angry rodents this last month. One woman even says she was taken to the hospital after suffering severe bites to her hands and arms. The woman told Patch that she even tried throwing the animal off of her, but it just kept bouncing back and biting her.
Residents say they've called 911 and 311 (which is a community hotline, where you'd report incidents like rabid animals on the loose), but claim they've been ignored by the city. And while the Dept. of Health claims this is not a case of rabies, some officials claim that indeed was the case during the Prospect Park squirrel attacks of 2017, where five people were reportedly attacked by what was described as an "unusually aggressive" squirrel. But another Rego Park resident claims these latest unprovoked attacks could be a case of at least three aggressive squirrels in the area. So, is it rabies or not?
Some feel this could be an issue over food, as squirrels have been known to become aggressive if they're being fed. Squirrels aren't the only animals near the city who seem to be becoming more and more aggressive. Some experts even say that rats were becoming more aggressive due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Less restaurants and businesses open, less food available. But Patch is reporting that the residents who have been attacked by the squirrels in Rego Park say they never fed them.