Skunk lunges at man and his yellow lab on Ann Arbor's west side
Photo courtesy of Jim Campbell
Campbell and his yellow Labrador Retriever, Buddy, were walking at about 5:30 a.m. near the intersection of Mershon Drive and Barnard Road when Buddy jerked on the leash and began chasing a skunk hidden on a sidewalk by deep snow. Soon, the skunk turned and lunged at Buddy before moving toward Campbell.
Campbell, who lives on Hanover Court, said he was able to grab Buddy's leash and run away from the skunk - but not before the skunk sprayed Buddy.
"I was trying to figure out how to deal with the skunk odor....I had just a little 'Nature Way's Skunk Odor' liquid from a couple years ago...but I went to Meijer, Kroger, and CVS and they didn't have any," Campbell later wrote in an e-mail.
"I had to wait until 9 a.m. until a pet store opened to buy it... and then douse him in it."
Campbell said he wants to warn other people in the area of the skunk and said his neighbors have seen several skunks lately. He spent a good chunk of time today calling around to different animal welfare agencies, trying to figure out how to handle a mean skunk that he feared could be rabid.
Deb Kern, spokeswoman for the Humane Society of Huron Valley, offered a statement with this advice:
"The Humane Society of Huron Valley is 'on call' to rescue sick or injured, animals, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We bring the animals back to our shelter to be properly cared for by our veterinarians and trained shelter staff. We rescue sick or injured domestic animals, as well as sick or injured wildlife. Whenever possible, we work with our local Friends of Wildlife organization for rehabilitation and release. HSHV provides 24-hour rescue services for sick and injured wildlife and stray animals. Please note that HSHV does not accept healthy animals, including feral cats or wildlife, for euthanasia. Please contact our Trap, Neuter and Return Coordinator for issues regarding feral cats at 734-661-3523. Go to http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/urban_wildlife_our_wild_neighbors/ for more information on humane solutions to wildlife problems."
Has anyone else run into problems with skunks on the West Side? Share your story by leaving a comment below.
Got neighborhood news to share? Submit a story on AnnArbor.com using our Got News? Tell Us feature on Ann Arbor's West Side homepage, or email community@annarbor.com. Stefanie Murray is the Community Director for AnnArbor.com.
Comments
A2Writer
Sat, Feb 27, 2010 : 1:37 p.m.
Dear Buddy, Sorry to hear you got sprayed by the mean skunk. We have had a few close calls ourselves...in the area of West Park in particular. Hope you are feeling (and smelling!) better today. Sincerely, Another West Side Yellow Lab (and her person);-)
Debra M. Schwartz
Fri, Feb 26, 2010 : 9:48 a.m.
This is not news, but it is neighborhood fun. I smelled the skunk yesterday morning. In fact, the neighborhood has been smelling generally skunky. Based on Buddy's experience, I will watch out when Luna starts to bark in the backyard!
Cendra Lynn
Fri, Feb 26, 2010 : 1:53 a.m.
Yes, this is cause for alarm. Skunks don't attack. There are those skunks that will stand their ground until my dogs and I are in spray range, but when we back off, barking, the skunks just stand there and look smug. BTW, you can make a neutralizer cheaply: If you have hydrogen peroxide, baking soda (not powder), and dish soap handy, you can mix up a bath that neutralizes the smell. An easy to remember recipe of one pint of hydrogen peroxide, one small box of baking soda, and a couple of squirts of any dish washing liquid mixed in a gallon of water makes an effective, scientifically based antidote. Those ingredients, in their separate packages, are easy to store in a plastic bucket with camping equipment or on the back porch to be handy when they're needed. The recipe must be mixed up and used quickly; it loses its effectiveness within about an hour, and it will explode if it's kept in a covered container. CAUTION: hydrogen peroxide can blind your pet if it gets into their eyes. All these ingredients are safe to use around pets, animals or humans; the "explosive" effect when the mixed solution is covered comes from a release of oxygen. There is the possibility that it will bleach what it touches through oxidation, so it might turn a black dog brown or grey until the natural color of hair grows back out. If the skunk's victim is a pet, work the solution into the coat thoroughly, let it sit about five minutes, then rinse it out. For the face I use a washcloth over a finger tip and work it in carefully and repeatedly until kissing the dog doesn't make me gag. This chemically removes the odor completely. Works on clothes, too.
thoutman
Thu, Feb 25, 2010 : 5:51 p.m.
Sweet Mother Mary! This is news?