Police have issued a warning after reports that two “potentially dangerous” raccoon dogs attacked a goat and a pony in a quiet English village.
The canines escaped from an enclosure in Clarborough, Nottinghamshire, and have yet to be captured.
Villager Mandy Marsh said she was woken up to the sound of screaming on Tuesday morning and ran outside to see one of the raccoon dogs attacking her goat and pony.
“The pony was standing in the way trying to protect the goat. The raccoon dog was trying to kill it. It was absolutely crazy. It was hissing and screaming and snarling. It was going absolutely mad,” she told The Independent.
Ms Marsh said she and her husband Dale tried to get the animal to move by running at it with pieces of wood.
But the raccoon dog refused to budge for two hours and only moved on to terrify a passing dog walker.
“The woman eventually ran off down the lane with it – it was only a puppy – really upset. It would have killed that dog,” Ms Marsh added.
Raccoon dogs, also known as a tanuki or a Japanese raccoon dog, are not raccoons but are members of the canid (dog) family, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
The RSCPA warns that the animals, which are native to the forests of eastern Siberia, northern China, North Vietnam, Korea, and Japan, are not suitable as domesticated pets.
Raccoon dogs need a lot of space and are extremely smelly because they use their scent to communicate with each other.
“The animals, which are described as being the same size of a medium to small-sized dog, are potentially dangerous if approached as they are not domesticated,” a spokesperson for Nottinghamshire police said.
“Police are advising anyone who sees the animals to report any sightings by calling 999.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
A Dog's Journey
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott
3 out of 5 stars
