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Rabid Raccoon Attacks Hingham Woman In Her Bed

HINGHAM (CBS) - A 73-year-old Hingham woman is recuperating at home, after being mauled by a rabid raccoon in her own bed.

"It's something I'll never forget. It was that scary," said Ginny Ballou.

Ballou told WBZ-TV the raccoon managed to get into her house Wednesday morning through a pet door on her back porch.

Raccoon Attack
A pet door that the raccoon is believed to have gotten in through. (WBZ-TV photo)

"I was asleep, and something jumped on my face. At first, I thought it was my cat. But then it bit my lip and chin, and it latched on," she said. "And it wouldn't let go!"

Ballou says she struggled with the animal for nearly two minutes.

"It was clamped on me, and ripping my face," she said. "I finally got him off, and hit him with my phone that was on the nightstand."

But in the process of getting the raccoon off her face, the animal bit both her thumbs.

She managed to get it out of her room and call police.

A state Environmental Police officer caught the raccoon with a net and a snare.

The raccoon later tested positive for rabies and was euthanized.

Ballou was treated at the hospital and has started getting rabies shots.

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