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B.C councillor attacked by vicious crow

White Rock Coun. Helen Fathers says she can now laugh at the terrifying incident
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A pair of agitated crows camped in front of White Rock Coun. Helen Fathers鈥 home swooped in Sunday morning, attacking the councillor, leaving her with blood gushing from her head.

That was one of multiple crow attacks in recent days, with 68 people reporting crow confrontations in the Lower Mainland between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Fathers, who posted a photo to Twitter Wednesday of a blood-soaked towel she used to stop the bleeding, can now laugh at the incident, which 鈥渟cared me to death.鈥

She said there was a baby crow on her front lawn Sunday morning, located in the 1300-block of Lee Street, and she went outside at 6 a.m. to see if there was anything she could do.

Fathers said she was concerned that her cats would harm the animal, and she was unaware there were crows waiting to attack.

鈥淚 go outside, and the crows go mental. I guess the mom and dad flew down and swooped, attacked me,鈥 she told Peace Arch News Thursday.

The protective crow gouged her with its beak, leaving an inch-long gash on the top of her head.

鈥淭here was blood everywhere, I thought for a minute it was really bad, but I didn鈥檛 realize that the head bled so much.鈥

Fathers said she went inside her home to attend to her wound, and went outside again, en route to the White Rock Farmers Market, where she is manager, at approximately 7:40 a.m.

鈥淭hey attacked me again getting into the car,鈥 she said.

Fathers said a baby crow was found dead on the sidewalk. She assumes that a raccoon killed one bird, and the crows were protecting their surviving young.

鈥淚t鈥檚 admirable in a way, right? They鈥檙e so protective of their young.鈥

The evening before, Fathers said she heard a commotion outside and saw a raccoon in a tree, where crows nested.

She said she鈥檚 not really worried about being attacked a third time, but she鈥檚 鈥渄efinitely cautious鈥 when she leaves the house.

鈥淚 certainly tell them off when I go outside. I鈥檓 in my garden all the time, I say to them 鈥榶ou bloody crows 鈥 you got me.鈥欌

Fathers also has a fair warning for visitors.

鈥淚 tell my mom she has to protect her head when she comes to my door. My mom has been swinging her keys, has her hand above her head鈥 They seemed to have calmed down.鈥

Fathers said she likes neighbourhood crows, describing herself as a 鈥渃razy animal lover.鈥

鈥淪o you know, to me, of all the people to get 鈥 go get someone that doesn鈥檛 like animals.鈥

It鈥檚 currently breeding season for crows, which can lead to an uptick in attacks, according to experts. There鈥檚 an that Lower Mainland residents can use to document crow incidents, and so far hundreds .

Fathers said she has considered documenting her attack.

鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 want people to come look at them and get attacked by them,鈥 she said.

It鈥檚 not the first time a White Rock elected official has had a bloody encounter with wildlife.

Then-mayor Catherine Ferguson was attacked by a raccoon in 2009. She was bitten on the calf.

鈥淥h my God, yes. Catherine got attacked by a raccoon and she had to get a鈥 shot. In the back garden with her dog, crazy, isn鈥檛 it?鈥 Fathers said.

Following Ferguson鈥檚 attack, the mayor told PAN she suffered bruises and tetanus and rabies shots, but had no long-term injuries.

鈥淚n future I shall be staying away from masked men with hairy chests,鈥 Ferguson joked.



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