Three people injured after squirrel gains entry to care home for the elderly

Emergency services say the animal could be rabid

Instances of squirrel's attacking people are unusual (AFP/Getty Images)

At least three people have been injured after a squirrel broke into an assisted living facility for the elderly.

Residents of Sterling Court apartments in Deltona, Florida, put in a panicked call to 911 saying the rodent was attacking old people.

"We had a squirrel that entered our building, and it’s in our activity room, and it’s jumping on people and biting them and scratching them," the caller told the dispatcher.

"We need help. It’s still in there and people are bleeding."

The incident was reported at 2:49pm on Thursday, according to a dispatch log seen by local media.

In the background, victims can be heard screaming frantically: "The squirrel is still in here!"

Emergency services who attended the scene said the animal may have been be rabid. The squirrel initially attacked people outside the facility, they said, but it latched onto a person and was somehow thrown indoors.

Later someone threw it back out of the building, according to the woman who phoned 911.

She told the operator: “The squirrel is now outside. But we need help for the people, not for the squirrel.

“At least three or four were bitten, maybe more.”

She said one woman, named Stacy, was bleeding "quite uncontrollably".

Squirrel attacks are unusual, but not unheard of. Rabid animals in particular may attack people during the "furious" second stage of the disease, which is characterised by erratic behaviour, disorentation, episodes of aggression, and no fear of natural enemies, including humans.

Rabies is fatal and cannot be treated, but it can be prevented by vaccination immediately after exposure.

It is unclear what the current condition of those injured is, or what became of the squirrel.