Why do the people sound so terrorized in this article? Aren’t they allowed to kill them? Are raccoons a protected species? If you don’t want them killing cats, wouldn’t it be a good idea to kill them instead of trying to scare them off:

Raccoons have killed about 10 cats in a three-block area near the Garfield Nature Trail at Harrison Avenue West and Foote Street Southwest.
[…]

The problem got so bad that residents Kari Hall and Tamara Keeton even started a Raccoon Watch after having an emotional neighborhood meeting attended by about 40 people.

“It was a place for people to mourn and cry,” Hall said.

At the meeting, they encouraged people to stop feeding the raccoons. They also decided to keep their pets and pet food inside. And they decided to carry pepper spray to drive off raccoons that attack again.

[…]

Keeton and Pam Corwin have decided to have “cat coops” built so their pets can go outside and have some room to roam, with protection.

It’s not just cats being attacked. Five raccoons actually ganged up on and carried off a little dog, who survived.

[…]

“We were right there trying to get him off the cat,” she said. “The cat was screaming, and the raccoon was ferocious. My husband and a neighbor grabbed a shovel and a bat, and they were waving them until it took off. It was scary.”

[…]

Keeton said the raccoons travel their route so often they’ve worn a path.

“It’s like a freeway in the back yard,” she said. “It’s like clockwork. They come between 9 and 9:30 every night.”

If their route is known, why isn’t animal control doing something? Isn’t that their job? Why can’t the home owners do something to protect themselves against animals that are trying to harm their pets? Have Americans really become this wimpy that they are terrorized by raccoons:

Keeton added: “It may sound silly, but a lot of the people here truly feel scared and terrorized.”

Sheesh! Toughen up, America!
(Link via Drudge Report)