Treated Like Pets Although animals such as skunks are treated like pets in many parts of the world, they are usually demanding pets and people get rid of them soon after purchasing them as pets. In case your neighbor has a skunk as a pet, you will need to be extremely cautious in order to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from skunks. You should also be cautious of skunks even if there aren’t any skunks in your neighborhood because skunks are present all across the United States. In this article, we will talk about how skunks are dangerous for your pets and their health, but before that we will talk a little bit more about skunks.





About Skunks
Skunks belong to the biological family of martens, which also includes animals such as badgers and weasels. It is believed that skunks came to the United States 300 years ago in ships at which they were used as rat and mice controllers.

Throughout history, skunks have been used for chasing and killing rabbits. Today, in some parts of England, skunks are still trained for the purpose of becoming rabbit hunters. This means that if you have rabbits as pets that you should especially be careful when it comes to skunks living nearby. Skunks belong to the biological family of carnivores. These animals have rough and hard teeth that resemble the teeth of canine animals. A skunk’s teeth have a very strong grip and a sharp bite. Smaller skunks have elastic and elongated bodies that are covered with soft and short fur. The ears of a skunk are very soft and small while their tail is wholly covered with fur. One interesting thing about skunks is that they have a poor sense of vision. They are also almost deaf, but they have an incredible sense of smell.

Do Skunks Attack People and Pets?
Skunks always attack people and pets when they feel threatened by them. And they have a special method of attacking - spraying a foul-smelling gas into enemy’s eyes.

However, some skunks also bite their enemies, which is far more dangerous than releasing a foul-smelling gas as a defense mechanism. Skunks especially love to bite pets such as dogs and cats when they feel threatened. Once a skunk bites your cat or dog, you should take the pet immediately to a vet because skunks usually carry rabies and a special disease called Aleutian disease.

Read the How to get rid of skunks page for helpful information and to learn more about Are skunks dangerous to cats, dogs, or other pets?

Are skunks dangerous to cats, dogs, or other pets?