Bloodthirsty Squirrels Rampage in California: Attacks Reported in San Rafael

San Rafael, Calif. — At least five residents in a Bay Area neighborhood have reported being attacked by a rampaging squirrel in recent days, prompting warnings and a public health note as authorities investigate whether a single animal or several are involved.

Residents described the encounters as sudden and violent. Isabel Campoy and her niece were walking through their San Rafael neighborhood when a gold-colored squirrel leaped at them, with Campoy telling ABC7 that the animal 'tried to viciously claw at my face' and that 'my arm was completely overcome' as the creature clamped onto her skin before it released her. Another resident, Joan Heblack, said a squirrel sprang from the bushes and bit her thigh, leaving her with bleeding wounds and a trip to the emergency room.

Local wildlife responders said the attacks are unusual but not unheard of, noting that conflicts between people and wild squirrels can occur when the animals have become habituated to humans, often after people feed them or treat them like pets during their early life. Vanessa Potter of WildCare cautioned that the behavior may stem from earlier human interactions, and explained that 'If they associate people with food, they're not afraid of them.'

Health officials have stressed that rabies is unlikely in cases involving small rodents such as squirrels. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says small rodents rarely carry rabies, and there have been no documented cases of squirrels transmitting rabies to humans through bites. Still, the agency warns that squirrels can carry other diseases that pose risks to people, especially through bites or contact with waste. Bacterial infections, including Salmonellosis, Lyme disease, and even the plague, can be transmitted through contact with an infected squirrel or its fleas and ticks.

Several illness rumors circulating online have fed speculation about new diseases among squirrels, including claims of 'squirrel pox' among red squirrels in the United States. Wildlife experts say those conditions are not well supported by evidence and that more likely explanations involve other viruses or conditions; one commonly cited issue is squirrel fibromatosis, a wart-like growth linked to a different virus that can ooze fluid and often heals on its own. Experts also warn that human actions such as bird feeders placing as a factor in the spread of disease among urban squirrel populations.

Residents have reported no new attacks in the days since the spate began, but warning posters remain posted in San Rafael as officials urge restraint and caution. California law makes it illegal to keep squirrels as pets, and officials have said it is unknown whether any of the attacking animals were previously kept as someone's pet and released.

Public health officials advise residents to avoid feeding wildlife, keep a safe distance from foraging squirrels, and report any aggressive encounters to local animal control or the police. People who are bitten should promptly wash wounds with soap and water and seek medical evaluation, as clinicians will assess the need for rabies post-exposure treatment or tetanus shots as appropriate.