Continuing from Wednesday…
If the new legislation is signed into law, New York residents will be able to have raccoons removed just by asking. If a raccoon is found to be scampering across someone’s backyard, but is causing no harm or annoyance, they can call for removal services. If a raccoon happens to choose a tree hollow on a particular property to have its babies, and it is causing no trouble, it too can be evicted by the Health Department with a simple call from a borough resident.
Even though it is recommended that the Health Department humanely trap and release the raccoons that it captures, it only seems logical that if the Health Department were to trap an endless amount of raccoons for homeowners, not all would be able to be humanely released into the wild. It stands to reason that some, if not all, would absolutely need to be euthanized. Although raccoons can be a bothersome pest when they invade human spaces, plucking them out of their own natural environments just because they are a potential nuisance is not the right thing to do.
You can keep raccoons away from your home by keeping pet food indoors, making sure that they cannot gain entry into your attic, and covering your trash with tightly fitting lids. New York City residents are encouraged to report any sick looking raccoons to the 311 number, the Health Department, or you can even call 911. Additionally, sick or well, you should never approach a raccoon. They may be cute and cuddly looking, but they have powerful bite and grasp and could potentially have rabies. If you have raccoons in your yard…leave them be. If you do happen to have a raccoon in your attic, wall, or crawl space that needs removed, contact Stern Environmental Group for humane raccoon removal services.
