Raccoon Home Invasion!

Raccoons Take Over Home
By Jessica Borg

June 25, 2007 - Residents are worried that raccoons might just overrun a block of North 54th Street in West Philadelphia.

That's how they getcha, block by block, city by city.

"(The) raccoons are taking over our block."

Will the citizens of the home of the Liberty Bell take this sitting down?

Twelve raccoons have found themselves a home in an abandoned house in the 1200 block of North 54th Street. And residents in the area say that's not all.

It never is.

"In the back of my home, I can see them climb up the tree. My windows are secure, but I don't want them to go in the house and gain access to the house," said Theresa Jenkins.

Raccoon hordes terrorize helpless retirees!

Action News spoke with wildlife expert Phil Nichols about the invading family.
"Raccoons get in homes and if they do, they can cause a lot of destruction. They're like monkeys. They can climb up a chimney and back down again."

Like evil, clever, bitey monkeys with masks.

Nichols said this is the time of year to see more and more raccoons, especially in urban environments. "The animals adapted to the city. There is no natural predator for it outside of automobiles."

And cars aren't doing their job.

He said the best way to keep the raccoons at bay is to put a cap on your chimney and always seal up garbage.

Or maybe park a car on the lawn.

"We cannot sit outside at night, because of the raccoon problem," said Renee Cohen who is frustrated with the problem.

You raccoons get off my lawn!

"They probably have a nest in my roof, but I don't want to go up there. I would like the city to go up there."

See Man Lured Onto Roof.

But the city won't remove the raccoons from the area.

What the! Don't we pay taxes?!

The animals, whose average weight is about 20 pounds, are not considered dangerous wildlife, but are more along the lines of squirrels.

Giant, evil, vicious squirrels that would sell out their own mother for a chicken bone.

The city has recommended that residents in that neighborhood get traps to catch them, then Animal Control agents will go out and collect the cages.

Damn bureaucrat hippies, probably to busy sitting under the air conditioner and dropping acid.