Raccoons

Not sure if there are more around now than in the past but they still do the same things...walk around mostly ignoring humans, and getting into garbage.

They scare Toronto's mayor of course (though that might just be when he's in a drunken stupor). But does this guy...

...really look like he would scare a municipal leader? Even if he was with friends?

Of course, they do:

• sh*t in your yard
• rip up anything stored outside
• break into any 'raccoon-proof' container having any kind of food scraps in it
• scare the local cats

And they have supernatural strength! Perhaps part-mayor Ford was right to be scared. Below is a raccoon paw print beside our house 'pounded' right into the concrete!

(one of about 100 paw prints around here...I imagine the last time they poured concrete - the owners of the house that is, not the raccoons - that the raccoons decided to make a statement)

We don't seem to openly declare war on feeding them though. Like Montreal:

No need for signs here...everyone knows that feeding them will just hasten the 'inevitable'...

(insert 'Raccoon' where necessary)

Finally, for the trivia lovers here's a list of fictional raccoons, to show how much they have added to our literature. Much beloved, all of them (though they didn't include my favourite 'Raccoon Tune' book).