By Rebecca Henely
Raccoons may look adorable, but for many in the Ridgewood area and around the city they are a nuisance — and sometimes carriers of diseases.
“We get complaints about raccoons every week,” said Meredith Burak, spokeswoman for City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village).
Flanked by state Assemblyman Michael Miller (D-Woodhaven), Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood) and Ridgewood residents plagued by raccoons, Crowley announced Monday her recently introduced bill requiring the city Department of Health to relocate raccoons at a resident’s request. There is no policy as of yet for how to deal with raccoons in a resident’s backyard, according to the councilwoman.
“Raccoons may seem like cute little bandits, but they can be unsanitary, filthy and a big nuisance for New Yorkers,” Crowley said.
Burak said raccoons often get into residents’ trash. They can also carry diseases and their feces can carry diseases. She said there is no estimate for how many raccoons are in the city.
“These raccoons have been a nuisance to our community for years,” Miller said. “They not only frustrate residents but also pose a potential health risk to the neighborhood.”
Burak said the councilwoman does not currently know where the raccoons will be relocated, but hopes to use the introduction of the bill to start discussions with city agencies and wildlife organizations on how to best deal with the problem.
Burak said some city agencies the councilwoman wants to get involved include the Parks Department and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. Some issues that need to be worked out involve where to relocate the raccoons, which city agency will relocate them, how to do move them promptly and what the cost will be.
“It’s officially putting it on the table,” Burak said.
Miller said he will be working with Nolan to pass similar legislation in the Assembly.
“I applaud New York City Council member Elizabeth Crowley for introducing legislation that would set a citywide policy about raccoons on residential property,” Nolan said. “With the increase number of raccoon sightings, we need to set a policy for effectively dealing with this issue.”
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
