As a Bath resident, I sympathize with fellow residents who love cute wild animals, but in discussing the rabies problem, we are talking about crazed animals that carry a disease that kills.

People are part of the problem. Wildlife is more dense in urban areas because people provide them with food: bird feeders, pet food, open garbage containers and discarded food wrappers make it easier for animals to eat and survive. Controlling these fox and raccoon populations is critical if we also want to control the spread of disease.

The proposal put forward for Bath may help control rabies in the short term. The Havahart-like traps will allow animals other than foxes, skunks and raccoons to be released unharmed. It will unlikely be many animals as they are pretty adept at avoiding traps. The target animals will be tested, permitting a more scientific epidemiological study providing critical data on the next steps that the city will need to take to control the disease.

In the long term, controlling rabies will depend on the cooperation of all residents – especially those who support more humane ways of handling the problem – to prevent future rabies. This means every individual monitoring food opportunities in their neighborhood and reducing places for large animals to den by cleaning up their yards, removing or repairing deteriorating or abandoned buildings.

The City Council is right to take the action that it did, but now it is up to all citizens to contribute to a comprehensive and humane program.

Richard J. Kessler

Bath

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