> > Err... You needn't be more terrified of raccoons than of any other wild animals (like squirrels or chipmunks -- and I've seen squirrel attacks, too.) People like feeding squirrels and pigeons and so on, and these folks also feed raccoons, with the latter never saying 'No' to a free meal. To keep them safe and properly afraid of humans, wild animals should never be hand-fed; but people do it anyway.
> >
>
> I've always wondered why people have that obsession with feeding rats. That's what they are. Squirrels are rats with big, fluffy tails, and pigeons are rats with wings. But the REAL rats, they don't get anything! Nobody runs around with a bag of old bread feeding them! I think I'm going to crusade for equal treatment for all members of the rat family, not just the cuter ones or the ones that can fly!
>
> The Other "Feeling sorry for the rats" Matthew

I used to know an animal welfare officer with the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Aninals) who used to tell me (often in a quite disgusted voice) that "squirrels are rats with good PR". It took me a while to see what he meant, but he's right.

winter"Except that rat tastes better than squirrel"mute