WA: the raccoon is innocent!

From the National Geographic:

"Killer" Raccoons in Washington May Be Getting Bum Rap

According to widespread news reports, a pack of rampaging raccoons has killed at least ten cats in Washington State's capital city of Olympia... The masked marauders are also reported to have attacked a small dog and to have forced a pet owner to get rabies shots...

While this particular neighborhood seems to have a serious raccoon problem, the reports of the incidents may be giving raccoons in general a bum rap.

Many parts of the story haven't been confirmed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, says Bob Sallinger, urban conservation director for the Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon. Sallinger thinks people's hysteria may be playing a major role in what he sees as sensationalized news reports...

It's almost as if they were, I don't know, our clients or something...