The Editor,
Re: "Raccoons kill, drag away another cat," News, July 20. "Does city have a raccoon plan?" Letters, July 20. "Raccoon attack on cat horrifying," Letters, July 13.
This letter is in response to the media coverage and news article on killer raccoons in Richmond:
There is an old saying that an outside cat is a dead cat.
In saying that, my husband and I have owned three cats, all rescue cats, ALL indoor cats, all were very happy and lived to an old age.
When you go to adopt a kitten, or older cat you have to sign a form saying this animal will be an indoor cat. Why? Because they get hit by cars, they fight with other cats, they can be mauled by someone's dog, or killed by a raccoon or coyote.
The cat family is known to be the most ferocious of all hunters, our pet cats being responsible for killing not millions but billions of song birds and small animals every year in all of Canada.
In fact, the decline in the song bird population a couple of years ago was felt due to our pet cats.
Every year at Critter Care Wildlife Society we get many, many rabbits, squirrels and even baby raccoons and other small animals brought into our centre because someone's cat caught them.
With the loss of habitat, our wildlife moves into areas where they have not been before.
Populations build up and disease will come along and knock that population down.
Raccoons have been around for decades, are highly intelligent and excellent mothers who will fight to the death to defend their young, no different than any other animal.
Raccoon kits are now at an age where they are following their mothers while looking for food.
So, if you don't want them around, don't leave food out, and monitor your pets while they are outside.
During baby season you will quite often see raccoons during the day because, being a nursing mother, they are hungrier than normal.
Also many of our urban animals have gotten used to living around people, and many enjoy doing so.
Please remember before using a hockey stick on any animal that all of our wildlife are trying to survive in a world where we, the people, have left them nothing. We continue to believe that we own it all, we don't. Remember, what is here today is not necessarily here tomorrow.
In closing, I would like to say you need not worry about the little four legged masked bandits that move through the night trying to survive. But you do need to worry about the two legged bandits that break into homes and hurt our families. Please be responsible pet owners.
Gail Martin Founder/ED Critter Care Wildlife Society
