Police use pepper spray on a baby squirrel

[Hashime]

I am a terrible person, I found that hilarious.
I would rather stomp the thing though. It didn't need to suffer.

 

[Plurralbles]

i don't get it...
also... The cracked article today talking about squirrels attacking people put this into perspective

 

[Dastardly]

Seriously ... if you can't scare off a squirrel without pepper spray? Mother nature has every right to kill you.

Interestingly, one of the defining features of rabies is that it will cause normally wild and stand-offish animals to approach humans without any fear. They'll behave as if tame. And you cannot "scare them away." You have to remove them.

(Which is what the officer did, after first spraying the animal to disable it. So that he wouldn't get bit or scratched.)

Had he not, one of those middle school kids would probably have thought, "Oh how neat. A tame squirrel. Let's mess with it." And then been bitten. And then rabies shots. And then lawsuit.

Cop is 100% right in this situation. There is no conceivable way in which he could have handled this better given the circumstances and equipment available to him.

 

[Dastardly]

Squirrels can't get rabies. Rodents have something in their DNA that prevents them from being infected by it. Those people are idiots.

False. They are very rarely found with rabies, but they are most certainly capable of carrying the infection. The CDC website itself says that it's possible, but really only likely if the squirrel is behaving strangely and rabies is widespread in the area.

So this stuff about "their DNA" preventing a viral infection? It's just false.

But furthermore, why would a cop be expected to know all the ins and outs of viral infection rates in rodents? Woodchucks are extremely capable of carrying rabies, and do they really seem all that biologically different from squirrels? (I'm not saying you could get the two confused, but that they both appear to be rodent-like mammals found in wooded areas)

 

[Throwitawaynow]

Person 1(Didn't read article): Squirrels can't get rabies, this is animal cruelty he should be fired.

Person 2: Squirrels can get rabies, here are several links that show documented cases of rabies. Here are some more of squirrel attacks. This was at a school and he was called to check in on it after it was acting eratic. The police man had no protection and used his only means of non-lethal avoidance: Pepper spray.

Person 1: It's still animal cruelty, I hope he dies!

 

[Vrach]

He got called out to handle it because they thought it was rabid and it was approaching children.

Now, I don't know about you guys, but i'd rather not risk kids or myself getting rabies, as it can kill you.

And before anyone says "its a baby, it can't bite anyone". They can. They have teeth. They can bite through skin.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't rabies perfectly treatable in it's incubation stage? Meaning, IF (and it's nowhere near 100% chance) the big bad officer does get bitten by the tiny baby squirrel, he can go to a doctor, get it cleaned, get a shot and walk away scott-free.

Also, isn't the correct institution to handle that kind of matter Animal Control? What the fuck is the cop doing there in the first place?

 

[Eri]

Person 1(Didn't read article): Squirrels can't get rabies, this is animal cruelty he should be fired.

Person 2: Squirrels can get rabies, here are several links that show documented cases of rabies. Here are some more of squirrel attacks. This was at a school and he was called to check in on it after it was acting eratic. The police man had no protection and used his only means of non-lethal avoidance: Pepper spray.

Person 1: It's still animal cruelty, I hope he dies!

I lol'd a bit. +1

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

I hope he gets shot by someone for this

It was probably rabid, people. It's not like he did it for FUN. Good christ, get all the information before you start sharpening your pitchforks.

 

[sagacious]

here's all i have to say....

Rabies is bad mmm'kay?

but seriously, you can look at a video with almost no context and presume to judge the people in it? I have no fucking idea what was happening, but I'm going to save my mood and assume that the animal was suspected of rabies, and the only stupid thing that happened was not getting the students inside.

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Person 1(Didn't read article): Squirrels can't get rabies, this is animal cruelty he should be fired.

Person 2: Squirrels can get rabies, here are several links that show documented cases of rabies. Here are some more of squirrel attacks. This was at a school and he was called to check in on it after it was acting eratic. The police man had no protection and used his only means of non-lethal avoidance: Pepper spray.

Person 1: It's still animal cruelty, I hope he dies!

I lol'd a bit. +1

Just thought I'd quote this, on the off-chance that more people will see it and stop freaking out over nothing.

Man, this place has really developed a pattern, hasn't it? The above conversation could be expanded for half the threads on this site.[footnote]EXAGGERATION! Don't quote me to say that it's not really half the threads, I KNOW.[/footnote]

Person 1: Look at this horrible news story! It's a tragedy!
Person 2: KILL THEM! KILL THEM! KILL THEM!
Person 3: Actually, that's only half the story. Here's enough evidence to fill a library that proves this story isn't as bad as the OP made it sound.
Persons 4 through 8 billion: KILL THEM! KILL THEM! KILL THEM!
Person 8 billion and one: Hey, look at what person 3 said! It's not as bad as it sounds!
Everyone else: NO! KILL!
Person 3: .......Fuck this.

 

[direkiller]

They have to have been in contact with a diseased human to begin with.

or a diseased flea
or a diseased dead animal

a rodent dose not have the same immune system humans have(hence the reason they dont live as long) they can get diseases from anything

it was acting out of the ordnary and there were children the cop took action to minimize risk to himself and those around him.

He got called out to handle it because they thought it was rabid and it was approaching children.

Now, I don't know about you guys, but i'd rather not risk kids or myself getting rabies, as it can kill you.

And before anyone says "its a baby, it can't bite anyone". They can. They have teeth. They can bite through skin.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't rabies perfectly treatable in it's incubation stage? Meaning, IF (and it's nowhere near 100% chance) the big bad officer does get bitten by the tiny baby squirrel, he can go to a doctor, get it cleaned, get a shot and walk away scott-free.

Also, isn't the correct institution to handle that kind of matter Animal Control? What the fuck is the cop doing there in the first place?

Its expensive to treat($500-$1000) its a few shots over a week and its painful(he also cant work for that period of time)

Not everywhere has animal control often cops are the ones that have to deal with them

in bigger city's cops are called then they call animal control

 

[EllEzDee]

Only in America...

 

[garfoldsomeoneelse]

EDIT: I just read the attached report, it turns out the officer was called to the scene because the squirrel was suspected of having rabies, so a rabid squirrel approaches you and a large group of children aggressively, I personally would berate you for not pepper spraying the little furry turd, rabies is still a killer disease, if he did not act the children and his lives were threatened. Death doesn't always ride a pale horse and carry a scythe. (And the squirrel was caught and cleaned up afterwards and was absolutely fine.)

/thread

And don't make me remind anyone that pepper spray is 100% non-lethal.

 

[Denamic]

Actually Rabies is a Infection, not a disease.

...what?
By starting your post saying stupid things, you immediately make people take you less seriously.
It's an infectious viral disease.

There are also around a hundred or more variations and separate strains of rabies all around the world. Squirrels and other rodent type animals (Especially skunks and foxes) contract rabies more than any other animal. It's because of rodents that rabies get spread to house pets and stray dogs because they bite the animals when the dogs or cats attempt to kill or eat the smaller animal.

Point being?

a rodent dose not have the same immune system humans have(hence the reason they dont live as long) they can get diseases from anything

Biology was not your strong subject, was it?
I'm not even going to try.

 

[AMMO Kid]

I'm sorry but I laughed out loud when i read this

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

Alright, I'm gonna stop reading this thread before I headdesk.

Maybe most of you should join PETA, huh?

 

[mxfox408]

OMG maybe next time he should let tge damn squirel bite someone, but then you same people crying about the squirel would complain that the officer just stood there and did nothing while a squirel bit someone. give me a break.

 

[Ham Blitz]

I've never seen a rabid squirrel before; it is actually funny to see a squirrel approach someone. They usually flee.
Anyway, if it was rabid, I guess that is one way to deal with it. I don't know what else an officer could do, though I severely hate whoever was talking in the background. I had to turn my volume down due to how loud her annoying input was.

 

[Tipsythegza]

Police love to spray squirrels

 

[Blondi3]

Interesting video. I guess the fact that it could have had rabies makes this understandable, but then again PETA would argue innocent until proven guilty. (Equality!)