Close Encounter of the Coon Kind

Yesterday the dogs discovered a raccoon hiding in the shed where I keep my mower.  After putting them in the house, I tried to shoo it out of there, but it wasn't going, so we stayed inside for a while until I saw it leave the yard. 

So this morning when we went out first thing I did a quick scan -- no coon.  I went into the barn to care for the chickens and ducks.  As I opened their hatch door to the outside run I explained that they needed to be alert today, because there is a raccoon around.  I was looking at the birds, not the door, and as they raced away from instead of towards the door I turned to look.  The darned raccoon was right there, as if it had been leaning against the door listening in to what I was saying!

Quick as a bunny I closed the door.  I expected that the animal would either climb up the side of the barn or amble off into the overgrowth at the edge of my property.  I continued caring for the birds.

But then, in the immortal words of Clement Moore, "there arose such a clatter". 

I raced outside and discovered my two dogs brutally attacking that nasty raccoon.  They each had a part in their mouth and they were tugging.  The raccoon was vocalizing.  I grabbed the nearest long implement, a piece of PVC, and tried to startle the dogs into dropping the coon.  But with one of me and two of them it took a while before I had both collars in my hands. 

There was a lot of blood all over the dogs' faces.  When we got to the house I was able to get Ulani in, but Phoebe got away from me and raced back to the see the damage.  It took a couple of tries before I successfully had them both in the house.

Once washed off I realized they were not badly hurt.  Ulani has a couple of dings on her nose.  Phoebe doesn't seem to be injured.  Still, I took them to the vet for closer inspection.

And the raccoon?

It's still trying to get to the chickens.