Connecticut Boy Wakes Up to a Skunk in His Bed

Stinky Critter Makes its Way into Family’s Home, Then into 13-year-old’s Bed

Talk about a weird, scary (and stinky) wake-up call.

It was a typical late July morning in Hamden, Connecticut, when a 13-year old boy got the morning alarm of a lifetime — waking at 6 a.m. to find a skunk sharing his bed with him at his West Easton Street home.

You can probably imagine the fear and worry the boy’s family experienced in the immediate aftermath, but the big question is how does this even happen?

Police said the boy’s family had recently brought a garbage can indoors from outside, not realizing there was skunk hiding inside of it. Turns out the garbage can had a hole in it, which the skunk made it’s way into. When he finally made his way out of the can, he was inside the family’s home.

“This is potentially dangerous for a number of reasons, but the first — and probably the biggest — threat is that of rabies,” Catseye Pest Control Wildlife Specialist Paul Dube said. “This scenario seems to check out as nothing more than a lost skunk, but if he had been infected with rabies or any other disease, this could be a very scary, maybe even sad story.”

Luckily this story has a happy ending.

Once discovered in the boy’s upstairs bedroom, his family was able to remove the skunk from the house. Hamden Animal Control promptly responded and once inside the residence, they noted a “pungent smell of skunk” permeating throughout the home.

Remember, skunks that are startled are the ones that typically spray, as it is their primary form of defense. Check out our tips for how to remove skunk smell from inside of homes or on your pets if that scenario arises for you or your family.

If you come into contact with any wild animal, like a skunk, raccoon, or bat, and are concerned about the possible transmission of rabies or other potentially dangerous diseases, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

And if you think you’ve got a nuissance wildlife problem due to the animals living around the outside of your home, contact our team of professionals.