Page One

To the Editor: 

There are apparently some people who think we can turn back the clock to when civilization did not exist and the land belonged to wild animals, such as deer and raccoon. I would like to point out to these people that in those days, these animals had natural predators with which to contend. Now they have none, at least in the cities, so instead of there being a balance, we have raccoons getting into garbage cans, raccoons killing other forms of life, and raccoons spreading disease. 

Cases in point: Two weeks ago my leashed dogs were attacked by a raccoon that just kept on coming, although my husband repeatedly pulled the dogs away. Vet bill: $110. Today my fish pond is a mess because the raccoons scrabble in the water, tearing up the plants, trying to get the fish (who have just as much right to their lives as the raccoons have to theirs), causing financial loss and the expenditure of time of two very busy people. Some raccoons in this area carry a roundworm that can kill dogs and people. It is passed through their feces, so small children and pets are definitely at risk. 

Come on, people, if mice and rats come into your house, do you just move aside and try to make them comfy? Raccoons have no place here in the city. They are not an endangered species. If the city council wants to sterilize them, I say Right On! 

Jenifer Steele, 

Berkeley