Raccoon attack puts woman in emergency room

A woman goes to the hospital after getting attacked by a raccoon while walking her dog in Jamaica Bay Village in Fort Myers.

Gail Poirier was finishing a pleasant evening in her Jamaica Bay community for people 55 and older.

“Louis, and I went for a walk. And it was absolutely beautiful evening with a big, beautiful shiny moon,” Poirier said.

Poirier noticed something had gotten into the garbage and heard a noise from under her car.

She got her dog out of the way but unfortunately left herself vulnerable.

“All of a sudden, this raccoon jumped out, clamped right on my leg. And I started screaming and yelling for help. And then he bit his way up my leg,” Poirier said.

“He had this look on him. He was frightened like I was frightened, but he was different than frightened,” Poirier said.

“I was bleeding pretty bad. And I’m trying to keep his mouth open and away from my neck,” Poirier said.

“I just prayed Jesus to send me my angels…so I just kept praying for him and asking somebody, please see my screams and help me,” Poirier said.

Neighbors heard screams and scared the raccoon off with a flashlight.

They quickly got Poirier to the emergency room for any treatment or help she needed.

“I had about 100 wounds, I guess,” Poirier said.

Poirier lost part of her ring finger on her right hand and is getting treated for rabies as a precaution.

Her doctor told her it was the worst attack he’s seen in 30 years.

“They started in cleaning the wounds out…for rabies. And let me tell you is it’s a very, very painful process. But it had to be done,” Poirier said.

Poirier explained it’s difficult to relive the experience but reached out to WINK News to share her story in the hopes it will make people more aware of what’s out there.

Poirier also noted she doesn’t blame the raccoon because she knows just as many animals were displaced during the storm as people.

Poirier’s treatment is ongoing but said she considers herself lucky.