RACOONS!

Oh my
It was probably one of the worst nights I have had, last night. I got up around 2 to let the dogs out. Of course, Zoe wanted to just BOLT out the door and go see what she could find. Well, about 10 minutes later, I heard growling and barking and commotion. When I got out side, both dogs were up near the fence in the shrubs going absolutely crazy. They were barking and growling and whimpering. I yelled and tried to get them to come out. Eventually Zeus did and he ran for the house. When I found him later, he was cowering in a corner. Zoe, on the other hand, was not going to budge from where she was. I had no idea what kind of creature she was battling but it SOUNDED horrible! I had to go wake Kris and eventually Nick, too. Kris came out and by that time, Zoe was in the WATER! She was battling a RACOON!! It was one of the worst sounding things I have ever heard and witnessed. She was grabbing the coon by the neck and whipping it all around in the water and then it would get loose and try to scratch her and bite her. We could NOT get her out of the water. Too make a very long and very scary story short....we eventually got a rope lassoed around her front leg and finally got her over to the bank where Kris and Nick got a hold of her and got her out of the water. We got her in the house and into the tub. She was soaked through and was bleeding. We bathed her and put peroxide on her cuts and she just ran around the house. I think she was so riled up she didnt know how to settle down. I have NEVER seen her like this!! CRAZY !!!! At anyrate, we called the vet today, her shots are current so that is a good sign, but we have to watch for her if she becomes lethargic or moody. I dont dare let her go into the back yard. I would be surprised if that racoon lived. I am afraid if she finds it again, dead or alive, it will not be a good thing. We are having someone come and set traps tomorrow and he will scout the backyard for any traces of them. WOW!
What a night! I hope to NEVER go through that again!!