City Councilman Wants To Explore SW Philly Raccoon Infestation
by Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- You might not ordinarily think of wild animals as one of the hazards of city life, but a Philadelphia city councilman says there's a big problem in his district with raccoons.
So much so that he's called for hearings on the furry creatures.
Councilman Kenyatta Johnson represents Southwest Philadelphia, not exactly the back woods, but he says his office gets calls.
"We have raccoons. In our house, or our backyards, or in our alleyways, we need help, and it's serious because it's a health epidemic. If a kid gets bitten by a raccoon, everyone's going to be up in arms, so we want to be proactive instead of just letting the issue happen," said Johnson.
Johnson thinks the city can do more.
Currently, Animal Control will respond only if a raccoon is in an open area inside a home or appears sick or injured. But he also wants to find out where they're coming from.
"There has to be a reason they're coming out of nowhere infesting these neighborhoods," Johnson said.