Gaze of Raccoons Sneak Onto White House Grounds

I fail to see the significance of this article! Haven't there been racoons there all along and not made the news? Why is it that when the Obamas move in, it becomes a topic for discussion. We all know who were referred to as racoons in the past, so to try and slip this story under the radar is just plain ignorant of you. The man won fair and square, so stop with the idiotic and slick terms to try and cover your ignorance. The White House does not belong to anyone- it's belongs to everyone.

Give those poor guys a break! They're just trying to make a living like the rest of us.

Park Service guys are always after raccoons, when they should be after people who ruin our parks by littering. As a specialist in raccoons, I can attest that they would never harm anyone in the area, but would stay away from people. However, the poison about rabid raccoons has been spread by thousands of people who have no idea about raccoons in the wild. The large one and smaller ones are mother and babies. Babies stay with the mother for months after weining and females will stay with the mother for over a year, helping with other litters and learning how to be mothers. Next time, Park Serivce People, as a wildlife rehabber. We may not have the expensive education, but we sure know a lot more about wildlife than any of you!

President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, had a pet raccoon during their time in the White House. The raccoon's name was Rebecca. If you're interested, go to Google and do a search... there are a couple of pics available.

Raccoons get a great deal of undeserved bad press. They can be a nuisance as far as turning over trash cans and making themselves at home in unsecured attics, but they are not vicious animals. Just because a raccoon is out and about during the day does not mean it is rabid. It is most likely a nursing mother who is desperate for food. Keep garbage, pet food and the like secured and the raccoons will move on.

The predominant carrier species of the rabies virus varies by geographical region. While raccoons are overall the most common carrier of rabies in the U.S., some areas have no recorded instances of it in their raccoon population. Out of the 37 laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies in human beings who developed the disease in the United States, 1990-2001, 8 were from dog rabies virus, 28 were from bat rabies, and only one was attributed to the raccoon rabies virus. (http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/epidemiology.html)

When it comes to raccoons, just use common sense and admire them from a safe distance. They are truly amazing creatures. Here's hoping the best for the ones at the White House.

Forget a dog. I say adopt them as the new Whitehouse pets!!!! LOL

This is why Palin should be in the WH. No needs for fancy traps when theres a helicopter and plenty of automatic weapons around.

I'm certain they've been sited in the past, interesting that NOW they are making news. Give me a break and say what's really on your freakin' tongues. Stop being cowards!!

Let the Raccoons stay clean out everyone else, Less Government more RACCOONS!

Must be a slow news day.

We've had nests of raccoons outside our backdoor for a couple of years now - they crawl down every night at dawn - and there's never been a problem.

I'm sure if they do cause problems the Secret Service will blast 'em before they ever get close to the president. Glad he's safe...

This is a dumb story about even dumber people. As long as garbage bins are secure, and visitors and workers are advised to not feed them, what's the problem with a few raccoons living on the White House's 18 acres, other than an increased potential for roadkill if drivers and / or critters are inattentive?

The rationale you offer for ridding the property of these animals - rabies - is ludicrous on its face. Bats and rodents are much likely to be carriers of that disease than raccoons. Shall we purge the human-inhabited areas of D.C. of their presence, too?

Would authorities overreact in a similar manner if a colony of feral cats set up shop on White House grounds? And what would their response be to a flock of crows or pigeons roosting in the trees outside the Oval Office?

And while we're at it, how about doing something about that large herd of carnivorous dimbulbs that infests the White House press room, with all their annoying clucking, cackling and caterwauling?

hmmm,,,they are cute bandits though!

Well, at least THESE bandits wear masks for identification, and only steal food. And they surely cannot be any more rabid than Cheney and his friends!

traps - rocky won't like that
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Neither will the lady from Alaska who likes to go after Bullwinkles. Palin really wants her predatory skills to shine on the White House.

wow, Jake - seems like you scavaged for every pawsible titbit for us on that story. I'm especially impressed by the 'gaze' .....nice job. May not seem like the most important news of the day but you sparkle on the sidebars nonetheless :-)

traps - rocky won't like that

This reminds me of Jimmy Carter and The Killer Rabbit!

http://www.narsil.org/politics/carter/killer_rabbit.html

They're really cute until you get up close and personal.

dc is horrific with raccoons. it's rock creek park!

hmmm... "*****" at the white house. be ready for al sharpton to try to extort you ABC/Disney.